51
Slaughterers and Meat Packers is a notable career in the 51 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Slaughterers and Meat Packers against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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Managers, All Other
11
Buyers and Purchasing Agents
13
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
13
| soc | 51-3023 |
| title | Slaughterers and Meat Packers |
| onet code | 51-3023.00 |
| description | 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. |
| job zone | 2 |
| major group | 51 |
| tot emp | 67,500 |
| a mean | 40,710 |
| a median | 39,790 |
| a pct10 | 31,470 |
| a pct25 | 35,940 |
| a pct75 | 45,930 |
| a pct90 | 49,460 |
| h mean | 19 |
| h median | 19 |
The day-to-day work of a slaughterers and meat packers typically centers on remove bones, and cut meat into standard cuts in preparation for marketing. 0 of these 8 tasks are Core O*NET duties; the remainder are common supplemental work. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Among working slaughterers and meat packers, the most common entry qualification is a High School Diploma (60.8%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 0% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in Nebraska at $48,080 and lowest in West Virginia at $21,250 — a 2.3× spread. The top five states (Nebraska, Arizona, Kansas, Washington, Montana) average $47,100. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | $48,080 | $47,560 | $37,900 | $56,730 | 5,140 |
| Arizona | $47,470 | $45,330 | $37,750 | $49,460 | — |
| Kansas | $47,310 | $47,880 | $43,240 | $57,960 | 2,430 |
| Washington | $46,460 | $46,000 | $39,770 | $54,080 | 1,000 |
| Montana | $46,180 | $43,910 | $31,680 | $49,340 | 130 |
| Missouri | $44,730 | $42,850 | $33,280 | $48,210 | 1,630 |
| Oklahoma | $44,530 | $38,540 | $29,640 | $44,530 | 1,430 |
| Iowa | $44,400 | $43,640 | $37,860 | $48,650 | 4,040 |
| Massachusetts | $44,140 | $42,830 | $35,580 | $51,520 | 120 |
| South Dakota | $43,020 | $43,690 | $38,060 | $51,470 | 800 |
| Colorado | $42,780 | $44,900 | $35,980 | $57,690 | 410 |
| Michigan | $42,390 | $42,000 | $35,660 | $47,680 | 1,740 |
| North Dakota | $42,220 | $44,800 | $28,880 | $69,220 | 150 |
| Minnesota | $41,550 | $42,260 | $39,790 | $46,220 | 3,190 |
| Indiana | $41,230 | $41,750 | $36,700 | $47,300 | 1,490 |
| Texas | $41,230 | $38,600 | $27,040 | $47,600 | 4,430 |
| Kentucky | $41,080 | $41,500 | $30,920 | $47,170 | 740 |
| Vermont | $40,860 | $41,530 | $34,280 | $48,050 | 70 |
| Illinois | $40,800 | $42,960 | $33,780 | $51,800 | 3,730 |
| Utah | $40,470 | $39,560 | $34,230 | $45,290 | 780 |
| Oregon | $40,430 | $42,550 | $36,900 | $49,410 | 380 |
| Nevada | $40,420 | $42,070 | $33,830 | $47,180 | 40 |
| North Carolina | $39,790 | $40,240 | $30,500 | $49,840 | 5,750 |
| Idaho | $39,770 | $40,460 | $36,140 | $48,110 | 240 |
| Maine | $38,950 | $42,620 | $37,530 | $49,780 | 40 |
| Louisiana | $38,860 | $34,600 | $22,990 | $38,860 | 580 |
| South Carolina | $38,850 | $38,630 | $27,100 | $46,880 | 250 |
| California | $38,660 | $41,580 | $36,840 | $47,960 | 6,830 |
| Hawaii | $38,530 | $40,080 | $31,150 | $48,050 | 100 |
| Maryland | $37,820 | $45,100 | $33,760 | $55,290 | — |
| New Hampshire | $37,690 | $41,340 | $30,520 | $49,620 | 40 |
| Georgia | $36,680 | $36,430 | $31,900 | $41,450 | 4,000 |
| Wisconsin | $36,620 | $36,280 | $27,570 | $50,010 | 2,400 |
| Virginia | $36,490 | $36,540 | $35,970 | $39,380 | 620 |
| Ohio | $36,470 | $37,170 | $30,900 | $44,390 | 1,730 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,450 | $37,290 | $30,840 | $44,500 | 3,700 |
| Rhode Island | $36,400 | $36,330 | $30,520 | $37,370 | 400 |
| Tennessee | $35,430 | $36,100 | $29,920 | $46,020 | 660 |
| New York | $35,210 | $37,420 | $31,200 | $46,690 | 660 |
| Arkansas | $34,780 | $34,680 | $32,320 | $36,860 | 1,130 |
| Mississippi | $34,750 | $34,900 | $29,290 | $40,530 | 2,320 |
| New Jersey | $34,410 | $37,630 | $31,470 | $54,060 | 830 |
| Connecticut | $34,240 | $35,830 | $33,580 | $42,850 | 90 |
| Alabama | $32,930 | $33,340 | $25,640 | $44,730 | 210 |
| Florida | $32,490 | $33,690 | $28,960 | $38,190 | 210 |
| Delaware | $29,220 | $31,650 | $29,120 | $38,740 | 150 |
| West Virginia | $21,250 | $30,130 | $20,130 | $41,600 | 140 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for slaughterers and meat packers. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Animal Killer or Animal Sticker frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Slaughterers and Meat Packers compares to others in the 51 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Slaughterers and Meat Packers
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
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