Career Overview
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.
Also Known As
- Boning Room Worker
- Meat Packer
- Meat Processor
- Meat Wrapper
Alternate Job Titles
- Animal Killer
- Animal Sticker
- Animal Stunner
- Beef Killer
- Beef Splitter
- Bitter
- Boning Room Worker
- Brainer
- Butcher
- Cattle Killer
- Cold Storage Worker
- Deboner
- Halal Meat Packer
- Hog Killer
- Hog Slaughterer
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Customer and Personal Service
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Finger Dexterity
- Manual Dexterity
- Near Vision
- Trunk Strength
- Control Precision
- Static Strength
- Oral Comprehension
- Problem Sensitivity
- Multilimb Coordination
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Stress Tolerance
- Cautiousness
- Self-Control
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Support
- Independence
- Achievement
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: 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.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
Tools & Equipment
- Bacon slicers
- Belt conveyor systems
- Blast chillers
- Butcher knives
- Carcass branding machines
- Casing stuffing machines
- Chop cutting machines
- Cubing machines
- Dehairing machines
- Electrical stunning equipment
- Food cooling equipment
- Food scales
- Hoisting equipment
- Industrial forklifts
- Knife sharpeners
Work Environment
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Spend Time Standing
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $31,470 |
| Median | $39,790 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $49,460 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 67,500
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
Education: Less than a High School Diploma
Median Salary: $37,700
Butchers and Meat Cutters
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $38,960
Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals
Education: Some College Courses
Median Salary: $36,150
Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
Education: Less than a High School Diploma
Median Salary: $35,430
Food Preparation Workers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $34,220
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.