Life As a Slaughterer and Meat Packer
Slaughterer & Meat Packer Example Work in slaughtering, meat packing, or wholesale establishments performing precision functions involving the preparation of meat. Work may include specialized slaughtering tasks, cutting standard or premium cuts of meat for marketing, making sausage, or wrapping meats.
A Day in the Life of a Slaughterer & Meat Packer
- Slaughter animals in accordance with religious law, and determine that carcasses meet specified religious standards.
- Sever jugular veins to drain blood and facilitate slaughtering.
- Trim, clean, or cure animal hides.
- Grind meat into hamburger, and into trimmings used to prepare sausages, luncheon meats, and other meat products.
- Tend assembly lines, performing a few of the many cuts needed to process a carcass.
- Skin sections of animals or whole animals.
Featured schools near , edit
Slaughterer & Meat Packer Skills
When polled, Slaughterers and Meat Packers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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.
Types of Slaughterer & Meat Packer Jobs
- Hog Slaughterer
- Meat Dresser
- Saw Operator
- Sawyer
- Wrap Around Facilitator
Slaughterer & Meat Packer Employment Estimates
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 82,500 jobs in the United States for Slaughterer and Meat Packer. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Slaughterer and Meat Packer. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 10,100 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Slaughterer & Meat Packer are Utah, Georgia, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Virginia, Kansas, or Wyoming. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Do Slaughterers and Meat Packers Make A Lot Of Money?
The typical yearly salary for Slaughterers and Meat Packers is somewhere between $20,810 and $37,480.

Slaughterers and Meat Packers who work in Maryland, Nebraska, or Kansas, make the highest salaries.
How much do Slaughterers and Meat Packers make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $21,740 |
Arizona | $33,330 |
Arkansas | $27,640 |
California | $27,980 |
Connecticut | $27,550 |
Delaware | $28,280 |
Florida | $26,270 |
Georgia | $24,920 |
Hawaii | $26,150 |
Idaho | $24,360 |
Illinois | $30,640 |
Indiana | $30,110 |
Iowa | $31,940 |
Kansas | $32,310 |
Kentucky | $27,170 |
Louisiana | $22,680 |
Maryland | $35,010 |
Massachusetts | $28,270 |
Michigan | $27,920 |
Minnesota | $31,540 |
Mississippi | $25,780 |
Missouri | $28,840 |
Nebraska | $32,610 |
New Hampshire | $25,400 |
New Jersey | $28,120 |
New Mexico | $28,460 |
New York | $30,280 |
North Carolina | $29,070 |
North Dakota | $30,160 |
Ohio | $28,070 |
Oklahoma | $23,730 |
Oregon | $27,980 |
Pennsylvania | $31,540 |
Rhode Island | $27,160 |
South Carolina | $22,400 |
South Dakota | $30,160 |
Tennessee | $25,320 |
Utah | $30,430 |
Vermont | $30,550 |
Virginia | $28,350 |
Washington | $33,070 |
West Virginia | $27,150 |
Wisconsin | $30,320 |
What Tools do Slaughterers and Meat Packers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Slaughterers and Meat Packers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Data entry software
How to Become a Slaughterer & Meat Packer
What education is needed to be a Slaughterer and Meat Packer?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Slaughterers and Meat Packers Work

The table below shows the approximate number of Slaughterers and Meat Packers employed by various industries.

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those interested in being a Slaughterer and Meat Packer may also be interested in:
References:
Image Credit: U.S. Army Europe Images via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
![]() |
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |