Cutters and trimmers, hand
Use hand tools or hand-held power tools to cut and trim a variety of manufactured items, such as carpet, fabric, stone, glass, or rubber.
Cutters and trimmers, hand use hand tools or hand-held power tools to cut and trim a variety of manufactured items, such as carpet, fabric, stone, glass, or rubber. The role reports a median annual salary of $38,800 in the US and is projected to decline by 18% over the next decade. Entry typically requires a No formal educational credential, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.54 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Active Listening, Time Management, Speaking, Social Perceptiveness, Monitoring.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £28,936 a year for Glass and ceramics makers, decorators and finishers (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 5441). ONS rates this estimate acceptable: it rests on a small sample, so treat it as a rough guide. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Craft and related trades workers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Cutters and trimmers, hand, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 7. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Production and Processing
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Computers and Electronics
- Administration and Management
- Education and Training
- Psychology
What you'd actually do
- Mark or discard items with defects such as spots, stains, scars, snags, chips, scratches, or unacceptable shapes or finishes.
- Trim excess material or cut threads off finished products, such as cutting loose ends of plastic off a manufactured toy for a smoother finish.
- Cut, shape, and trim materials, such as textiles, food, glass, stone, and metal, using knives, scissors, and other hand tools, portable power tools, or bench-mounted tools.
- Position templates or measure materials to locate specified points of cuts or to obtain maximum yields, using rules, scales, or patterns.
- Read work orders to determine dimensions, cutting locations, and quantities to cut.
- Mark cutting lines around patterns or templates, or follow layout points, using squares, rules, and straightedges, and chalk, pencils, or scribes.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Cutters and trimmers, hand do?
Use hand tools or hand-held power tools to cut and trim a variety of manufactured items, such as carpet, fabric, stone, glass, or rubber.
How much does Cutters and trimmers, hand earn?
The median annual salary for Cutters and trimmers, hand in the US is $38,800.
What is the job outlook for Cutters and trimmers, hand?
The role is projected to decline by 18% over the next decade. Current US employment is approximately 7,000 workers.
How do I become cutters and trimmers, hand?
The typical entry education is a No formal educational credential. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Cutters and trimmers, hand need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Active Listening, Time Management, Speaking, Social Perceptiveness, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Cutters and trimmers, hand?
Our AI-durability model gives Cutters and trimmers, hand a score of 0.54 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Cutters and trimmers, hand has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.