How Much Does Beef Tenderloin Cost?

Updated on August 15, 2026 | Written by Alec Pow
This article was researched using 8 sources. See our methodology and corrections policy.

Whole beef tenderloin currently costs about $19 to $21 per pound at a major warehouse club for standard USDA Choice or Prime whole pieces. Extra-trimmed tenderloin can cost around $27 to $32 per pound, while portioned tenderloin steaks can reach $40+ per pound at premium supermarkets. Specialty American Wagyu tenderloin can cost $70+ per pound.

For a typical whole tenderloin weighing about 5 to 9 pounds, a practical retail budget is roughly $95 to $290, depending on grade, trim level, retailer, and actual weight. Current Sam’s Club pricing puts USDA Choice Angus whole tenderloin at $19.47 per pound, USDA Prime whole tenderloin at $21.21 per pound, and Choice Angus extra-trim tenderloin at $31.97 per pound.

The key price question is not just Choice versus Prime. It is also how much butchering has already been done. A whole tenderloin that still needs trimming can carry a much lower sticker price per pound than an extra-trimmed roast or individual filet mignon steaks.

Article Highlights

• USDA Choice Angus whole tenderloin is currently about $19.47 (at $30 per hour, earning that amount would take about 39 minutes, before taxes)/lb at Sam’s Club.
• USDA Prime whole tenderloin at the same retailer is about $21.21/lb.
• Choice extra-trim tenderloin is about $31.97/lb, a $12.50/lb premium over the regular whole Choice product.
• Whole Foods currently lists beef tenderloin steak at $41.99/lb.
• Snake River Farms lists a 4.5-pound American Wagyu tenderloin roast from $325, or about $72.22/lb.
• USDA food-safety guidance calls for whole beef steaks and roasts to reach 145°F with at least a 3-minute rest.

Current Beef Tenderloin Prices

Product	Current price	What changes the cost
Sam’s Club USDA Choice Angus whole tenderloin	$19.47 (about 39 minutes at $30 per hour)/lb	Whole Cryovac piece with more trimming left to the buyer
Sam’s Club USDA Prime whole tenderloin	$21.21/lb	Higher USDA quality grade
Sam’s Club Choice Angus extra-trim tenderloin	$31.97/lb	More butcher work and higher usable yield
Sam’s Club Prime tenderloin roast	$26.78/lb	Roast format with more preparation completed
Whole Foods beef tenderloin steak	$41.99/lb	Portioned premium-supermarket steak
Snake River Farms American Wagyu tenderloin roast	From $325 for about 4.5 lb	Premium American Wagyu, about $72.22/lb at the listed weight

The current Sam’s Club tenderloin listings make the trim premium easy to see. Prices can vary by club and online, but the same retailer currently shows a $19.47 Choice whole tenderloin beside a $31.97 extra-trim Choice tenderloin.

At the premium retail end, Whole Foods currently lists beef tenderloin steak at $41.99 per pound. That is not the same product as a whole Cryovac tenderloin, since the steak has already been fabricated into portions.

What You’re Actually Buying

Beef tenderloin is the long, narrow muscle that runs inside the loin near the spine. The Beef Checkoff’s tenderloin cut guide describes it as a lean muscle and the most tender cut of beef. It is the source of tenderloin steaks and filet mignon and also forms part of T-bone and porterhouse steaks.

Tenderloin earns its premium because the muscle does relatively little work, which keeps it naturally tender. It is not a heavily marbled, fatty cut in its conventional form, and its flavor is usually milder than ribeye or prime rib. The smaller supply per animal and the demand for tenderness help keep the price high.

Filet mignon is cut from the tenderloin rather than being a separate muscle. Chateaubriand usually refers to a thick center-cut tenderloin roast, though butcher and menu terminology can vary.

The Hidden Price: Trim Loss

A lower per-pound price does not mean every pound becomes a center-cut roast or filet mignon. A whole tenderloin may include the side chain, exterior fat, uneven end sections, and silverskin. The chain contains usable meat, but it may be better suited to stir-fry, tenderloin tips, or other dishes than uniform steaks.

The silverskin should be removed before roasting. A whole-tenderloin trimming guide describes removing the chain, thick exterior fat, and silverskin. Silverskin is connective tissue that can stay chewy rather than rendering like fat.

This is why an extra-trim tenderloin costs more. The shopper is paying the butcher to remove material and deliver a piece with a larger share of its purchased weight ready for the final roast or steak portions.

Is It Cheaper to Trim Beef Tenderloin Yourself?

Current Sam’s Club pricing gives a useful real-world comparison. The Choice whole tenderloin is $19.47 (about 39 minutes at $30 per hour) per pound, while the Choice extra-trim version is $31.97 per pound. The difference is $12.50 per pound, so the extra-trim sticker price is about 64% higher.

Worked six-pound purchase: six pounds at $19.47 costs $116.82. Six pounds at $31.97 costs $191.82. The sticker-price difference is $75.

Those two six-pound packages do not produce the same amount of ready-to-cook center-cut meat, so the full $75 is not pure savings. A better way to test the economics is to calculate the break-even usable yield. Divide $19.47 by $31.97 and the result is about 60.9%. If more than 60.9% of the cheaper whole tenderloin ends up as meat you value and use, trimming it yourself produces a lower cost per usable pound than paying $31.97 for the extra-trim product, before assigning any value to your time.

The chain and irregular end pieces do not have to be waste. Using them for tenderloin tips, sandwiches, stir-fry, or another meal improves the economics of buying the whole piece.

Grade, Trim, and Retailer

USDA grade is one pricing factor, but current club-store prices show that trim can move the price more than the jump from Choice to Prime. At Sam’s Club, the difference between Choice whole tenderloin at $19.47 and Prime whole tenderloin at $21.21 is only $1.74 per pound. Moving from Choice whole to Choice extra trim adds $12.50 per pound.

USDA explains that Prime has more marbling than Choice, while Choice has more than Select. Tenderloin is naturally lean, so buyers should judge whether the grade premium is worth paying on this particular cut rather than assuming Prime will create the same difference it can make on a heavily marbled ribeye.

Premium branded beef can create a much larger jump. Snake River Farms currently sells an American Wagyu tenderloin roast for $325 at an average weight of 4.5 pounds. That works out to about $72.22 per pound.

Three Beef Tenderloin Budgets

Warehouse-club whole tenderloin: a 7-pound Choice whole tenderloin at $19.47 per pound costs $136.29. The buyer still has to trim and portion it, but can use the chain and end pieces in other meals.

Convenience-first roast: a 5-pound extra-trim tenderloin at $31.97 per pound costs $159.85. The higher price buys less trimming work and a larger share of ready-to-cook weight.

American Wagyu celebration roast: the current 4.5-pound Snake River Farms example starts at $325. If a host plans around eight 9-ounce raw portions, the meat cost alone is about $40.63 per person before sides, delivery charges where applicable, or other dinner costs.

For another premium roast comparison, our guide to prime rib costs shows how a fattier, more strongly flavored cut can have a lower or higher per-pound price depending on grade, aging, and retailer.

Cooking an Expensive Tenderloin

Tenderloin is suited to roasting, grilling, broiling, and pan-searing. Pressure-cooking or boiling is unnecessary for a cut whose main selling point is natural tenderness.

For food safety, USDA FSIS says beef steaks and roasts should reach a minimum internal temperature of 145°F followed by at least a 3-minute rest. A food thermometer is more reliable than judging doneness by color.

USDA’s roast-planning chart lists a 4- to 6-pound whole tenderloin at 425°F for about 45 to 60 minutes, while the internal temperature remains the safety check. Shape, starting temperature, oven performance, and desired doneness can change actual cooking time.

Buyers who would rather pay for individual steaks than trim a whole roast can compare current filet mignon costs. The steak price includes more portioning work and may make sense when only two or four servings are needed.

When Buying a Whole Tenderloin Makes Sense

Makes sense if:

• You are feeding enough people to use a 5- to 9-pound piece.
• You are comfortable removing the chain, fat, and silverskin or have a butcher who will do it for a reasonable fee.
• You will use the irregular end pieces and chain instead of treating them as waste.
• The whole-tenderloin price is materially below extra-trimmed roasts and portioned filet mignon.

Does not make sense if:

• You only need two steaks and the remaining meat would sit unused.
• You want a uniform center-cut roast without doing any trimming or tying.
• The lower sticker price disappears once delivery, membership, or unused trim is counted.
• You are buying a premium grade or Wagyu label without valuing the flavor and marbling difference enough to justify the surcharge.

For a lower-cost beef dinner, roast beef prices cover chuck, round, rib, and other roast options that can cost much less per pound than tenderloin.

What We Verified

• Checked: Sam’s Club currently lists Choice Angus whole tenderloin at $19.47/lb, Prime whole tenderloin at $21.21/lb, and Choice extra trim at $31.97/lb.
• Confirmed: Whole Foods currently lists portioned beef tenderloin steak at $41.99/lb.
• Cross-referenced: the Beef Checkoff identifies tenderloin as a long, narrow, lean muscle and the source of filet mignon.
• Verified: USDA FSIS gives 145°F plus a 3-minute rest as the minimum for whole beef steaks and roasts.
• Checked: Snake River Farms currently lists its 4.5-pound American Wagyu tenderloin roast from $325.

Answers to Common Questions

How much is whole beef tenderloin per pound?

A practical current warehouse-club benchmark is about $19 to $21 per pound for a whole Choice or Prime tenderloin. Prices vary by location, weight, trim, and promotion.

How much does a whole beef tenderloin cost?

Using current mainstream prices, a 5- to 9-pound whole or extra-trimmed tenderloin can cost roughly $95 to $290. Premium Wagyu can cost much more.

Why is trimmed beef tenderloin more expensive?

You are paying for butcher labor and a higher share of ready-to-cook meat. One current retailer charges $19.47/lb for Choice whole tenderloin and $31.97/lb for Choice extra trim.

Is filet mignon the same as beef tenderloin?

Filet mignon is a steak cut from the beef tenderloin. The whole tenderloin can also be roasted intact or divided into a center roast, steaks, tips, and other portions.

Should the silverskin stay on beef tenderloin?

No. The tough exterior silverskin is normally removed during trimming because it does not render like fat and can remain chewy.

What temperature should beef tenderloin reach?

USDA FSIS recommends a minimum internal temperature of 145°F for whole beef steaks and roasts, followed by at least a 3-minute rest. Use a food thermometer rather than relying on color alone.