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What Does it Take to Be a Butcher or Meat Cutter?
Job Description: Cut, trim, or prepare consumer-sized portions of meat for use or sale in retail establishments.
What Do Butchers and Meat Cutters Do On a Daily Basis?
- Wrap, weigh, label, and price cuts of meat.
- Cut, trim, bone, tie, and grind meats, such as beef, pork, poultry, and fish, to prepare meat in cooking form.
- Shape, lace, and tie roasts, using boning knife, skewer, and twine.
- Cure, smoke, tenderize and preserve meat.
- Receive, inspect, and store meat upon delivery, to ensure meat quality.
- Estimate requirements and order or requisition meat supplies to maintain inventories.
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What a Butcher or Meat Cutter Should Know
These are the skills Butchers and Meat Cutters say are the most useful in their careers:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Butcher Apprentice
- Meat Slicer
- Meat Carver
- Meatman
- Meat Team Member
Is There Going to be Demand for Butchers and Meat Cutters?
There were about 135,700 jobs for Butcher or Meat Cutter in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 5.7% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 7,800 new jobs for Butcher or Meat Cutter by 2026. The BLS estimates 17,700 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Butcher or Meat Cutter are Nevada, Utah, and Texas. Watch out if you plan on working in Delaware, Vermont, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Do Butchers and Meat Cutters Make A Lot Of Money?
The salary for Butchers and Meat Cutters ranges between about $20,900 and $49,110 a year.
Butchers and Meat Cutters who work in New Jersey, Alaska, or Connecticut, make the highest salaries.
How much do Butchers and Meat Cutters make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $30,900 |
| Alaska | $46,160 |
| Arizona | $35,420 |
| Arkansas | $30,610 |
| California | $34,450 |
| Colorado | $35,090 |
| Connecticut | $44,880 |
| Delaware | $39,140 |
| District of Columbia | $43,450 |
| Florida | $30,960 |
| Georgia | $29,810 |
| Hawaii | $40,920 |
| Idaho | $32,440 |
| Illinois | $30,990 |
| Indiana | $31,660 |
| Iowa | $26,460 |
| Kansas | $32,800 |
| Kentucky | $30,340 |
| Louisiana | $28,810 |
| Maine | $33,160 |
| Maryland | $39,810 |
| Massachusetts | $40,920 |
| Michigan | $31,270 |
| Minnesota | $37,100 |
| Mississippi | $27,350 |
| Missouri | $32,260 |
| Montana | $32,820 |
| Nebraska | $33,850 |
| Nevada | $35,160 |
| New Hampshire | $42,080 |
| New Jersey | $43,680 |
| New Mexico | $30,390 |
| New York | $36,500 |
| North Carolina | $31,870 |
| North Dakota | $35,040 |
| Ohio | $34,960 |
| Oklahoma | $28,600 |
| Oregon | $35,730 |
| Pennsylvania | $32,110 |
| Rhode Island | $38,820 |
| South Carolina | $33,190 |
| South Dakota | $31,650 |
| Tennessee | $31,160 |
| Texas | $27,140 |
| Utah | $32,480 |
| Vermont | $35,370 |
| Virginia | $35,140 |
| Washington | $40,600 |
| West Virginia | $29,020 |
| Wisconsin | $39,830 |
| Wyoming | $35,240 |
What Tools & Technology do Butchers and Meat Cutters Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Butchers and Meat Cutters:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
- Financial accounting software
Becoming a Butcher or Meat Cutter
Are there Butchers and Meat Cutters education requirements?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Butcher or Meat Cutter?
Who Employs Butchers and Meat Cutters?
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Career changers with experience as a Butcher or Meat Cutter sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: U.S. Army Europe Images via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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