Cut, trim, or prepare consumer-sized portions of meat for use or sale in retail establishments.
National median · BLS
$40,140
▲ +3.03%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$42,380
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
136,430
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Butchers and Meat Cutters
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$29,460
25th
$35,510
Median (50th)
$40,140
75th
$48,050
90th — top pay
$58,110
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Butchers and Meat Cutters
BLS projects employment of butchers and meat cutters to grow 2.4% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 15,100 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
138,400 → 141,700
+3,300 jobs
Projected change
+2.4%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
15,100
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
1.2% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Butchers and Meat Cutters salaries by metro area
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Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Butchers and Meat Cutters
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Active Listening3.1
Critical Thinking3.0
Monitoring3.0
Reading Comprehension3.0
Service Orientation3.0
Social Perceptiveness3.0
Speaking3.0
Time Management3.0
Complex Problem Solving2.9
Coordination2.9
Top knowledge areas
Customer and Personal Service4.1
Food Production3.9
Production and Processing3.4
Sales and Marketing3.1
English Language2.8
Administration and Management2.5
Mathematics2.5
Education and Training2.3
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft WordFinancial accounting softwareWeb browser software
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What butchers and meat cutters do
Prepare and place meat cuts and products in display counter to appear attractive and catch the shopper's eye.
Wrap, weigh, label, and price cuts of meat.
Cut, trim, bone, tie, and grind meats, such as beef, pork, poultry, and fish, to prepare in cooking form.
Prepare special cuts of meat ordered by customers.
Receive, inspect, and store meat upon delivery to ensure meat quality.
Estimate requirements and order or requisition meat supplies to maintain inventories.
Shape, lace, and tie roasts, using boning knife, skewer, and twine.
Record quantity of meat received and issued to cooks or keep records of meat sales.
Beef Shoppe ClerkBlockmanButcher Block ClerkCleaverHalal ButcherHotel and Restaurant ButcherJourneyman Meat CutterKosher ButcherMeat AssociateMeat ButcherMeat CarverMeat Counter ClerkMeat Counter WorkerMeat DresserMeat LoinerMeat Service Team MemberMeat SlicerMeat Team MemberMeatcutterMeatmanSeafood AssociateSeafood ClerkSeafood Counter ClerkSeafood Service Team MemberService Meat ClerkSlicerSmall Order Cutter
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Butchers and Meat Cutters, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $40,140.
