Slaughterers and Meat Packers

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 called: Boning Room Worker, Meat Packager, Meat Packer, Meat Processor, Meat Wrapper, Saw Man, Side Puller, Wrapper, Animal Killer, Animal Sticker, Animal Stunner, Beef Killer, Beef Splitter, Bitter, Brainer, Butcher, Cattle Killer, Cold Storage Worker, Deboner, Halal Meat Packer, Hog Killer, Hog Slaughterer, Hog Sticker, Live Hanger, Livestock Slaughterer, Meat Associate, Meat Clerk, Meat Department Associate, Meat Dresser, Meat Market Associate, Pelt Dropper, Pig Sticker, Poleman, Poultry Processor, Poultry Slaughterer, Religious Ritual Slaughterer, Saw Operator, Sawyer, Scriber, Seafood Processor, Shactor, Sheep Killer, Shochet, Slaughterer, Tank House Operator, Throat Cutter, Wrap Around Facilitator

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

What the worker does

Not yet documented. Confirm requirements with a training provider or employer.

Skills, machines and equipment

Speaking
Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Social Perceptiveness
Monitoring
Operations Monitoring
Operation and Control
Troubleshooting
Quality Control Analysis
Active Learning
Learning Strategies
Coordination

Education and training

Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (60.80% 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

36,150–46,870 USD per year · United States · 2025. Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · 25th–75th percentiles · SOC 51-3023.

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) (60.80% 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.

Slaughterers and Meat Packers