Cut, trim, or prepare consumer-sized portions of meat for use or sale in retail establishments.
Butchers and Meat Cutters
SOC: 51-3021 O*NET: 51-3021.00
Median Salary
$38,960
per year
Job Growth
📉 1%
Slower (2024-2034)
Annual Openings
16.9
projected jobs/year
Education Level
High school diploma or equivalent
Job Zone 2
Cut, trim, or prepare consumer-sized portions of meat for use or sale in retail establishments.
What does a Butchers and Meat Cutters do?
How much can you earn?
Entry Level
$28,850
10th percentile
Early Career
$34,460
25th percentile
Median
$38,960
50th percentile
Experienced
$47,200
75th percentile
Top Earners
$57,130
90th percentile
National Salary Distribution
10th
$28,850
25th
$34,460
Middle 50%
MEDIAN
$38,960
Mean: $41,300
75th
$47,200
90th
$57,130
Middle 50% of earners
Median salary
Mean (average)
Key Insights
- •Salary range spans $28,280 from entry level to top earners
- •Middle 50% earn between $34,460 and $47,200
- •Salary spread is 32.7% around the median, showing moderate variation
- •Total national employment: 140,040 professionals
What's the job outlook?
Job Market Intelligence
Medium Demand
Market demand
Medium Risk
Automation risk
Current Employment
National Employment:143,100
Top Industries
Retail Trade84.2%
Food and Beverage Retailers74.3%
Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only)74.3%
10-Year Outlook
Growth Rate:+1%
Annual Openings:16,900
Employment Projections
2024 (Current)143,100
Current
2034 (Projected)144,500
+1%
+1,400
Employment Change
+1%
Growth Rate
10
Year Projection
Growth Category: More slowly than average
Geographic Salary & Employment Data
Explore where Butchers and Meat Cutters professionals work across the United States
Showing 15 of 50 locations
California
21,220 jobs$44,3101.29x
Florida
11,330 jobs$39,3501.27x
Texas
10,490 jobs$37,0700.83x
Illinois
9,000 jobs$38,5301.63x
Ohio
5,590 jobs$36,9501.11x
New York
4,800 jobs$46,4900.55x
New Jersey
4,480 jobs$38,8701.16x
Michigan
4,330 jobs$38,1401.09x
Iowa
4,130 jobs$36,6002.91x
Georgia
4,120 jobs$37,0400.93x
Pennsylvania
4,050 jobs$37,4900.74x
North Carolina
3,800 jobs$37,0200.85x
Wisconsin
3,320 jobs$41,1401.25x
Washington
2,710 jobs$48,1200.84x
Indiana
2,470 jobs$37,4200.85x
Understanding the Data
Location Quotient (LQ):
- • LQ > 1.0: More jobs than national average
- • LQ = 1.0: Same as national average
- • LQ < 1.0: Fewer jobs than national average
Data Source:
Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024
Key Growth Factors
Standard growth expectations for this occupation
What skills do you need?
Top 10 Most Important Skills
#1
Active Listening
100%
#2
Social Perceptiveness
92%
#3
Critical Thinking
82%
#4
Speaking
74%
#5
Monitoring
66%
#6
Service Orientation
58%
#7
Time Management
48%
#8
Reading Comprehension
40%
Skills Overview
Active Listening
advanced5.0
100%
Social Perceptiveness
advanced4.6
92%
Critical Thinking
intermediate4.1
82%
Speaking
intermediate3.7
74%
Monitoring
intermediate3.3
66%
Service Orientation
basic2.9
58%
Time Management
basic2.4
48%
Reading Comprehension
basic2.0
40%
Skills are rated on a scale of 0-5, with 5 being the most important. The complexity level indicates how advanced the skill typically needs to be.
Filter:
Sort by:
Active Listening
advancedImportance100%
skills
5.0/5.0
Social Perceptiveness
advancedImportance92%
skills
4.6/5.0
Critical Thinking
intermediateImportance82%
abilities
4.1/5.0
Speaking
intermediateImportance74%
skills
3.7/5.0
Monitoring
intermediateImportance66%
skills
3.3/5.0
Service Orientation
basicImportance58%
skills
2.9/5.0
Time Management
basicImportance48%
skills
2.4/5.0
Reading Comprehension
basicImportance40%
abilities
2.0/5.0
Highly Transferable Skills
These skills are valuable across multiple career paths, making career transitions easier:
Postal Service Clerks100%
5 shared skills
File Clerks89%
5 shared skills
Parking Enforcement Workers89%
5 shared skills
Actors88%
5 shared skills
Animal Control Workers80%
5 shared skills
Cooks, Private Household80%
5 shared skills
Skills by Career Stage
Entry Level
Must Have:
- ✓Active Listening
- ✓Social Perceptiveness
Learn on the Job:
- →Monitoring
- →Service Orientation
Mid Career
Expected:
- ✓Active Listening
- ✓Social Perceptiveness
- ✓Critical Thinking
Senior Level
Mastery Required:
- ★Active Listening
- ★Social Perceptiveness
- ★Critical Thinking
- ★Speaking
Skill Development Tips
- •Focus on developing the top 5 skills first - they have the highest impact on career success
- •Transferable skills open doors to related careers and provide flexibility
- •Balance technical skills with soft skills for well-rounded professional development
- •Entry-level positions prioritize foundational skills that can be built upon over time
What technology will you use?
Technology & Digital Skills
Essential technology proficiencies for Butchers and Meat Cutters
Technology Intensity
Medium
Digital Literacy Requirements
This career requires intermediate digital literacy
1
Basic
2
Intermediate
3
Advanced
4
Expert
Key Digital Competencies:
Office productivity softwareIndustry-specific applicationsBasic data entry and managementDigital communication tools
🔥
Hot Technologies in Demand
These technologies are currently trending and highly sought after in this field
Microsoft Outlook
🔥 Hot TechMicrosoft Office software
🔥 Hot TechMicrosoft Excel
🔥 Hot TechMicrosoft Word
🔥 Hot TechTechnology Stack
Technology Stack Overview
Key technologies used in this career
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Office software
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Word
📚 Technology Learning Resources
Recommended Certifications
- •Vendor-specific software certifications
- •Industry-recognized technology credentials
- •Professional development courses
Online Learning Platforms
- •LinkedIn Learning - Comprehensive technology courses
- •Coursera - University-level programs
- •Udemy - Practical skills training
💡 Technology Skill Development Tips
- •Focus on mastering hot technologies first - they're currently most in-demand
- •Build a portfolio demonstrating your proficiency with key tools and software
- •Stay current through continuous learning - technology evolves rapidly
- •Consider vendor certifications to validate your skills to employers
What's the work environment like?
🏢
Location
MOSTLY INDOOR
💪
Physical Demand
MODERATE
👥
Team Orientation
MOSTLY TEAM
🤝
Customer Interaction
FREQUENT
💡Is This Work Environment Right for You?
Consider these factors when evaluating if you'll thrive in this work environment:
- •Are you comfortable working in mostly indoor environments?
- •Can you meet moderate physical demands?
- •Do you enjoy mostly team team environments?
- •Are you comfortable working with safety protocols and protective equipment?
What are the key tasks?
Tasks & Responsibilities
11
Core Tasks
8
Daily Tasks
20
Work Activities
0
Emerging Tasks
Filter:
Sort by:
General Responsibilities (5)Documentation & Record-Keeping (5)Management & Supervision (1)
1
Wrap, weigh, label, and price cuts of meat.
🔴Daily
Importance:
General Responsibilities100% perform100%
2
Prepare and place meat cuts and products in display counter to appear attractive and catch the shopper's eye.
🔴Daily
Importance:
Documentation & Record-Keeping97% perform98%
3
Prepare special cuts of meat ordered by customers.
🔴Daily
Importance:
Documentation & Record-Keeping94% perform96%
4
Cut, trim, bone, tie, and grind meats, such as beef, pork, poultry, and fish, to prepare in cooking form.
🔴Daily
Importance:
Documentation & Record-Keeping91% perform94%
5
Receive, inspect, and store meat upon delivery to ensure meat quality.
🔴Daily
Importance:
General Responsibilities88% perform92%
6
Shape, lace, and tie roasts, using boning knife, skewer, and twine.
🔴Daily
Importance:
General Responsibilities85% perform90%
7
Estimate requirements and order or requisition meat supplies to maintain inventories.
🔴Daily
Importance:
Documentation & Record-Keeping82% perform88%
8
Supervise other butchers or meat cutters.
🔴Daily
Importance:
Management & Supervision79% perform86%
9
Record quantity of meat received and issued to cooks or keep records of meat sales.
🟡Weekly
Importance:
Documentation & Record-Keeping76% perform84%
10
Negotiate with representatives from supply companies to determine order details.
🟡Weekly
Importance:
General Responsibilities73% perform82%
💡 Key Takeaways
- •Daily tasks focus primarily on general responsibilities activities
- •64% of tasks are performed by most workers in this occupation
- •Career advancement brings increased leadership and strategic responsibilities
What career paths are available?
Career Pathways
0
Advancement Opportunities
0
Lateral Move Options
0%
Avg. Salary Increase
Advancement Opportunities
Typical career progression paths from Butchers and Meat Cutters
💡 Career Planning Tips
- •Most successful advancement happens after 3-5 years of experience
- •Lateral moves can provide valuable cross-functional experience for future leadership roles
- •Focus on developing skills that are transferable across multiple career paths
- •Consider industry trends when planning long-term career moves
Is this career right for you?
Personality & Values Fit
Is This Career Right for You?
Butchers and Meat Cutters professionals typically have a RCE Holland code and highly value relationships
RRealistic
CConventional
EEnterprising
Important Personality Traits
Work styles that contribute to success as a Butchers and Meat Cutters
Dependability
Very ImportantDependability
Importance Level4.42
Cooperation
Very ImportantCooperation
Importance Level4.31
Integrity
Very ImportantIntegrity
Importance Level4.21
Attention to Detail
Very ImportantAttention to Detail
Importance Level4.10
Self-Control
ImportantSelf-Control
Importance Level3.99
Initiative
ImportantInitiative
Importance Level3.85
Complete Work Styles Profile
Dependability
4.4
Cooperation
4.3
Integrity
4.2
Attention to Detail
4.1
Self-Control
4.0
Initiative
3.9
Stress Tolerance
3.8
Adaptability/Flexibility
3.7
Independence
3.7
Concern for Others
3.7
💡 Tips for Career Fit Success
- •While personality fit is important, skills can be developed with practice and training
- •Consider informational interviews to better understand the day-to-day personality requirements
- •Work environments vary by employer - research specific companies for cultural fit
- •Your interests and values may evolve - reassess periodically throughout your career
What education is required?
Education Level
High school diploma or equivalent
Typical duration: High school diploma or GED
Preparation Level
Job Zone 2
Some Preparation Needed
Experience Needed
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful
📚 Education Requirement
Required Level:High school diploma or equivalent
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work.
Training:
Training of a few months to a year
💼 Experience Requirement
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful
Common pathways to gain experience:
- • Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience
- • Vocational school programs (6 months to 2 years)
- • Industry certifications helpful
2
Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work.
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experienceVocational school programs (6 months to 2 years)Industry certifications helpful
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