Butchers and Meat Cutters

Cut, trim, or prepare consumer-sized portions of meat for use or sale in retail establishments.

Also called: Butcher, Meat Clerk, Meat Cutter, Meat Specialist, Meat Wrapper, Beef Shoppe Clerk, Blockman, Butcher Block Clerk, Cleaver, Halal Butcher, Hotel and Restaurant Butcher, Journeyman Meat Cutter, Kosher Butcher, Meat Associate, Meat Butcher, Meat Carver, Meat Counter Clerk, Meat Counter Worker, Meat Dresser, Meat Loiner, Meat Service Team Member, Meat Slicer, Meat Team Member, Meatcutter, Meatman, Seafood Associate, Seafood Clerk, Seafood Counter Clerk, Seafood Service Team Member, Service Meat Clerk, Slicer, Small Order Cutter

This is a career information profile, not an advertised job opening.

What the worker does

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.

Skills, machines and equipment

Active Listening
Reading Comprehension
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Monitoring
Social Perceptiveness
Service Orientation
Time Management
Coordination
Complex Problem Solving
Judgment and Decision Making
Persuasion

Education and training

Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (69.93% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. 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. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.

Apprenticeships

Ask an employer or registered apprenticeship sponsor about current programs, eligibility, training and pay. A career profile does not confirm that a program is available.

Salary reference

35,510–48,050 USD per year · United States · 2025. Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · 25th–75th percentiles · SOC 51-3021.

Occupational-group wage references are not guaranteed pay for this specialty or an employer's offer.

Career advancement

Develop reliable production, safety, quality, and equipment skills; explore additional processes, senior specialist, or team-lead responsibilities relevant to your workplace.
Ask employers which demonstrated skills, education, or credentials are needed for the next role. Related careers are exploration options, not automatic promotions.

How Do I Get This Job?

Review the skills and responsibilities above.
Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (69.93% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. 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. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.
Compare real openings and confirm requirements directly with the employer.

View available jobs — availability is not guaranteed; sample listings are not real openings.

Related career information

Sources and limitations

O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. ShopFloor adapted occupational grouping, selected manufacturing-relevant occupations, and retained seven legacy guide titles. Specialties and alternative titles are grouped under O*NET occupations; these occupations can also occur outside manufacturing. Source: https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html. No wage, vacancy, certification, or video data is implied. ShopFloor advancement suggestions are general editorial guidance, not O*NET findings or guaranteed career progression. BLS wage ranges, when available, are national 25th–75th percentiles for the source occupational grouping, across industries; they are not local, apprentice, entry-level, or specialty-specific offers.

Butchers and Meat Cutters