State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Butcher and Meat Cutter Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Butchers and Meat Cutters is $40,140 a year ($19.30/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 1.0% through 2034, with about 16,900 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
SOC 51-3021ProductionLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $40,140
- Projected growth
- +1.0%
- Openings a year
- 16,900
- Typical education
- No formal credential
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Butcher, Meat Clerk, Meat Cutter, Meat Specialist, Meat Wrapper.
How much do Butchers and Meat Cutters make?
10th percentile$29,460
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$35,510
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$40,140
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$48,050
Upper quartile
90th percentile$58,110
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $40,140 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $19.30/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $42,380 |
| People employed | 136,430 |
Versus all US occupations
At $40,140, Butchers and Meat Cutters earn 21% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $10,840 a year.
Versus production occupations
Inside the Production group, where the middle occupation pays $47,920, this is 16% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $58,110 or more while the bottom 10% earn $29,460, a gap of 2.0×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 10% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Washington posts the highest raw median ($51,670), but once local prices are taken into account Alaska leads at $49,287 in national-average dollars.
Which states pay Butchers and Meat Cutters the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $51,670 | $48,284 | 2,660 |
| Alaska | $50,450 | $49,287 | 230 |
| Hawaii | $50,080 | $45,548 | 500 |
| Oregon | $49,360 | $47,755 | 1,540 |
| District of Columbia | $48,760 | $44,367 | 150 |
| Massachusetts | $48,430 | $45,794 | 1,480 |
| New Hampshire | $47,740 | $45,831 | 530 |
| Colorado | $47,490 | $46,084 | 2,200 |
| New York | $47,080 | $43,625 | 4,540 |
| Delaware | $47,040 | $47,130 | 250 |
Is Butcher and Meat Cutter a growing career?
Butchers and Meat Cutters1.0%
All US occupations3.1%
+1.0% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Butchers and Meat Cutters to change 1.0% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 1,400 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 16,900 openings are projected each year, 11.8% of the 143,100 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Despite limited employment growth, about 16,900 openings for butchers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Long-term food purchasing patterns have trended towards more pre-made and pre-packaged meat products and cuts. This trend is expected to continue over the decade, which may limit employment demand for butchers and meat cutters.
How to become a Butcher and Meat Cutter
There is no butcher licence in the United States and no formal educational credential is typically required. BLS names only two things under licences and certifications, and one of them is unusual: some states and localities require a food handler's certification, and butchers who follow religious dietary guidelines may need specialised training leading to certification before a religious organisation endorses them to prepare meat. The second is the only recognised credential in the trade that is not issued by a government at all.
The credential path, step by step
- Start as a meat clerk or meat cutter
BLS is specific about the sequence: workers typically enter the occupation as a meat clerk or meat cutter, and after gaining experience as a meat cutter and demonstrating proficiency they may become a butcher. No formal education credential is typically required, although some employers prefer a high school diploma.
- Train on the job, for anything from a week to more than a yearA week for simple cutting; several months to more than a year for specialty cuts
BLS says the length of training varies considerably. Training for simple meat cutting, such as for prepared food items, may take about a week. More complicated work, such as specialty cuts from a large animal, generally takes from several months to more than a year. Entry-level training starts with simple cuts, removing bones and dividing wholesale cuts into retail portions, then knife care and sharpening, then shaping, rolling and tying roasts, making sausage and curing meat.
- Get the food handler certification if your state or county requires it
BLS states that some states and localities require butchers to have a food handler's certification, that requirements vary, and that you should contact your state or local licensing board. The variation is structural rather than accidental: the FDA publishes the Food Code as a model, and state, local and tribal regulators adopt and adapt it into their own rules, so two counties in the same state can differ. BLS separately notes that employers provide food safety training to minimise the risk of foodborne pathogens in meats.
- Look for an apprenticeship if one exists locally
BLS notes that some employers or unions offer apprenticeship programmes for butchers. These are not universal and are concentrated in grocery chains and unionised meat departments.
- Pursue religious certification if you want that work
This is the closest thing to a formal butcher credential in the United States, and it is issued by a religious body rather than a state. BLS records that butchers who follow religious dietary guidelines for food preparation may be required to undergo more specialised training leading to certification before being endorsed by a religious organisation to prepare meat. Kosher and halal supervision each have their own certifying organisations, their own training, and their own ongoing oversight of the facility as well as the individual.
- How long the training takes
There is no programme. BLS puts on-the-job training at about a week for simple meat cutting and from several months to more than a year for specialty cuts from a large animal.
Licensing and state variation
Not a state license
No state licenses butchers or meat cutters as an occupation. What varies is the food handler certification, which BLS says some states and localities require and describes as varying. Because the FDA Food Code is a model that state, local and tribal regulators adopt into their own rules, the requirement can differ between counties within one state: whether you need a card at all, how soon after being hired, how long it lasts, and whether the establishment separately needs a certified food protection manager on duty. Federal and state meat inspection is a separate regime again, and it licenses and inspects the establishment rather than certifying the person cutting.
Who governs the credential
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — Publishes the Food Code, the model that state, local and tribal regulators use to write the retail food safety rules that decide whether a butcher needs a food handler card. The FDA itself certifies no one; the 2022 edition is the most recent full edition.
Credential detail for butcher and meat cutters is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
What the federal data says
Butchers typically need no formal educational credential to enter the occupation. They learn their skills through on-the-job training.
| Typical entry-level education | No formal educational credential |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Little or no preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Long-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as butchers and meat cutters.
- High School Diploma69.9%
- Less than a High School Diploma20.4%
- Some College Courses7.3%
- Post-Secondary Certificate2.4%
What does a Butcher and Meat Cutter do?
Cut, trim, or prepare consumer-sized portions of meat for use or sale in retail establishments.
Butchers cut, trim, and package meat for retail sale.
Day-to-day tasks
- Prepare special cuts of meat ordered by customers.
- Cut, trim, bone, tie, and grind meats, such as beef, pork, poultry, and fish, to prepare in cooking form.
- 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.
- Receive, inspect, and store meat upon delivery to ensure meat quality.
- Shape, lace, and tie roasts, using boning knife, skewer, and twine.
- Estimate requirements and order or requisition meat supplies to maintain inventories.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most butchers work full time. Some work early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Where the work happens
- Indoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day
Physical demands
- On their feet more than half the working day
- Regular bending or twisting
Working with people
- Constant contact with other people
- Dealing with customers or the public is very important
Pressure and stakes
- Meeting strict deadlines at least weekly
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey, showing only the signals people in the job report decisively one way or the other.
Where butchers and meat cutters work
| Grocery and specialty food retailers | 73% |
|---|---|
| General merchandise retailers | 9% |
| Animal slaughtering and processing | 8% |
| Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods | 3% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Active Listening3.1/5
- Reading Comprehension3.0/5
- Speaking3.0/5
- Critical Thinking3.0/5
- Monitoring3.0/5
- Active Learning2.5/5
- Mathematics2.4/5
- Writing2.3/5
Transferable skills
- Social Perceptiveness3.0/5
- Service Orientation3.0/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Coordination2.9/5
- Complex Problem Solving2.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9/5
- Persuasion2.8/5
- Negotiation2.8/5
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Accounting software
- Internet browser software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Butcher and Meat Cutter?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary6.3
Investigative1.4
Artistic1.8
Social1.9
Enterprising2.8
Conventionalprimary3.9
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Butcher and Meat Cutter: frequently asked questions
How much do Butchers and Meat Cutters make?
Butchers and Meat Cutters earn a median of $40,140 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 21% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $19.30/hr. The middle half earn between $35,510 and $48,050. The top 10% earn $58,110 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Butcher and Meat Cutter?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Butchers and Meat Cutters, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists long-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 69.9% hold high school diploma.
Is Butcher and Meat Cutter a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 1.0% over 2024–2034 against 3.1% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 16,900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Butcher and Meat Cutter do?
Butchers cut, trim, and package meat for retail sale. A core O*NET task: prepare special cuts of meat ordered by customers. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Butchers and Meat Cutters the most?
The highest state medians for Butchers and Meat Cutters are Washington ($51,670), Alaska ($50,450), Hawaii ($50,080) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Alaska moves to the top at $49,287.
What personality type suits a Butcher and Meat Cutter?
O*NET scores Butchers and Meat Cutters highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.
How long does it take to become a Butcher and Meat Cutter?
There is no programme. BLS puts on-the-job training at about a week for simple meat cutting and from several months to more than a year for specialty cuts from a large animal.
Do you need a license to work as a Butcher and Meat Cutter?
Not a state license. No state licenses butchers or meat cutters as an occupation. What varies is the food handler certification, which BLS says some states and localities require and describes as varying. Because the FDA Food Code is a model that state, local and tribal regulators adopt into their own rules, the requirement can differ between counties within one state: whether you need a card at all, how soon after being hired, how long it lasts, and whether the establishment separately needs a certified food protection manager on duty. Federal and state meat inspection is a separate regime again, and it licenses and inspects the establishment rather than certifying the person cutting.