Slaughterers and Meat Packers
SOC code 51-3023 · O*NET-SOC 51-3023.00 · Little to some preparation needed · Manufacturing and production
Slaughterers and Meat Packers pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$40,130
a year
Hourly
$19.29
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$41,770
$20.08 per hour
Middle 50%
$36,150 – $46,870
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$33,340 – $51,090
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
69,950
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $33,340
- $16.03/hr
- 25th percentile
- $36,150
- $17.38/hr
- Median percentile
- $40,130
- $19.29/hr
- 75th percentile
- $46,870
- $22.54/hr
- 90th percentile
- $51,090
- $24.56/hr
What do slaughterers and meat packers do?
Perform nonroutine or precision functions involving the preparation of large portions of meat. Work may include specialized slaughtering tasks, cutting standard or premium cuts of meat for marketing, making sausage, or wrapping meats. Work typically occurs in slaughtering, meat packing, or wholesale establishments.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Remove bones, and cut meat into standard cuts in preparation for marketing.
- Sever jugular veins to drain blood and facilitate slaughtering.
- Tend assembly lines, performing a few of the many cuts needed to process a carcass.
- Shackle hind legs of animals to raise them for slaughtering or skinning.
- Slit open, eviscerate, and trim carcasses of slaughtered animals.
- Stun animals prior to slaughtering.
- Skin sections of animals or whole animals.
- Cut, trim, skin, sort, and wash viscera of slaughtered animals to separate edible portions from offal.
How to qualify for this work
Most people in this role hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged) — 61% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 2 — Little to some preparation needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)61%
- Less than a High School Diploma29%
- Some College Courses11%
Common questions
How much does a slaughterers and meat packers earn?
The national median is $40,130 a year. The full range runs from $33,340 at the 10th percentile to $51,090 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a slaughterers and meat packers without a degree?
Yes — this occupation sits in preparation zone 2, meaning the typical entry route is usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. A four-year degree is not the standard requirement, though licensing or certification may still apply.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Speaking2.8/5
- Active Listening2.6/5
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service3.6/5
- Food Production3.4/5
- Production and Processing3.3/5
- English Language3.1/5
- Law and Government2.8/5
- Mathematics2.7/5
- Administrative2.5/5