Summary
![Meat trimmers and packers](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120917012645im_/http://www.bls.gov/ooh/images/p38-to-p39/p380-1-jpg.jpg)
Quick Facts: Slaughterers and Meat Packers | |
---|---|
$23,380 per year
$11.24 per hour |
|
Less than high school | |
None | |
Moderate-term on-the-job training | |
89,100 | |
8% (Slower than average) | |
7,400 |
What Slaughterers and Meat Packers Do
Slaughterers and meat packers kill and clean animals, divide carcasses into manageable sections, and grind or otherwise prepare and pack products, such as boxed beef, for shipping to distribution centers.
Work Environment
The slaughtering floors of most processing facilities are rarely climate controlled and may become very hot during the summer and very cold during the winter. Slaughterers and meat packers have to stand for the majority, if not all, of their shift.
How to Become a Slaughterer or Meat Packer
Slaughterers and meat packers do not need formal education. They get on-the-job training.
Pay
The median annual wage of slaughterers and meat packers was $23,380 in May 2010.
Job Outlook
Employment of slaughterers and meat packers is expected to increase by 8 percent from 2010 to 2020, slower than the average for all occupations. Population growth and international trade will increase demand for these workers.
Similar Occupations
Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of slaughterers and meat packers with similar occupations.
O*NET
O*NET provides comprehensive information on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
Contacts for More Information
Learn more about slaughterers and meat packers by contacting these additional resources.