Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
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.
Top skills:SpeakingActive ListeningSocial PerceptivenessCritical ThinkingOperations MonitoringMonitoring
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Slaughterers and Meat Packers pay by experience level
Entry level$34,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$37,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$41,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$48,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$53,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+2.2%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
8,400
projected openings per year
Growing slower than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Slaughterers and Meat Packers salary by industry
Food Manufacturing
63,380 workers
$43,500
Animal Slaughtering and Processing
63,200 workers
$43,500
Food and Beverage Retailers
3,130 workers
$38,500
Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only)
3,130 workers
$38,500
Administrative and Support Services
1,740 workers
$37,000
Employment Services
1,740 workers
$37,000
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods
1,590 workers
$43,000
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only)
1,590 workers
$43,000
Other Food Manufacturing
120 workers
$41,500
Animal Food Manufacturing
50 workers
$40,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Slaughterers and Meat Packers pays 22% below the average across 112 roles in the Production job family (family average $56,000).
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