Butchers and Meat Cutters

Overview

Butchers and Meat Cutters has a national median salary of $40,140 per year, with +2.4% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

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

Work Values

• Relationships
• Independence
• Achievement

Work Styles

Responsibilities

Tasks

• 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.

Work Activities

• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
• Getting Information
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Performing General Physical Activities
• Selling or Influencing Others
• Controlling Machines and Processes
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work

Detailed Work Activities

• Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
• Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished an associate's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Associate's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for no formal educational credential.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to Butchers and Meat Cutters:

Video Resources