51 Series · SOC 51-3023

Slaughterers and Meat Packers Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$40,130
Median / year
$51,090
Top 10% earn
+2.2%
Growth '23–'33
69,950
US workers

Slaughterers and Meat Packers earn a median of $40,130 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $40,130, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $33,340 (10th percentile) to $51,090 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 69,950 US workers. Colorado pays the most ($50,480), since pay varies by state and metro area.

51 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Slaughterers and Meat Packers earn a median of $40,130, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 12% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #87 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 2.2% by 2033.

$40,130
Median annual wage
Top 88%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#87 of 105
in Production
1.5×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Colorado at $50,480. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.

Slaughterers and Meat Packers (SOC 51-3023) pays a national median of $40,130 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $33,340 at the 10th percentile to $51,090 at the 90th, with a mean of $41,770 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 69,950 Americans work in this occupation across 48 reporting states and 111 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +2.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 8,400 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is No formal educational credential and short-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 3.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.2 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Colorado pays the highest state median at $50,480, which is +26% above the national figure. The top metro is Trenton-Princeton, NJ at $52,180 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 69,950 jobs Median $40,130/yr

Median Salary

$40,130

per year

Median Hourly

$19.29/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$41,770

average

Employment

69,950

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Slaughterers and Meat Packers pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$40,130 Bottom 12% higher than 12% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Slaughterers and Meat Packers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Slaughterers and Meat Packers sits on the slower-growing side at +2.2% growth and $40,130 median pay.

Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Slaughterers and Meat Packers sits on the slower-growing side at +2.2% growth and $40,130 median pay. Scatter plot of 23 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 -15%-10%-5%0%5%10% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Slaughterers and Meat Packers sits on the slower-growing side at +2.2% growth and $40,130 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+2.2%

Slower than average

Annual Openings

8,400

per year (projected)

Typical Education

No formal educational credential

On-the-Job Training

Short-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
B

Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

3.5/100K

Injury Rate

3.2/100

Danger Index

14.6/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Slaughterers and Meat Packers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Speaking 2.8
Active Listening 2.6
Critical Thinking 2.4
Social Perceptiveness 2.4
Monitoring 2.3
Operations Monitoring 2.3
Operation and Control 2.1
Troubleshooting 2.1
Quality Control Analysis 2.1
Active Learning 2.0

Knowledge Areas

Customer and Personal Service 3.6
Food Production 3.4
Production and Processing 3.3
English Language 3.1
Law and Government 2.8
Mathematics 2.7
Administrative 2.5
Administration and Management 2.5
Sales and Marketing 2.4
Public Safety and Security 2.4

Key Tasks

  • ▸ Remove bones, and cut meat into standard cuts in preparation for marketing.
  • ▸ Sever jugular veins to drain blood and facilitate slaughtering.
  • ▸ Tend assembly lines, performing a few of the many cuts needed to process a carcass.
  • ▸ Shackle hind legs of animals to raise them for slaughtering or skinning.
  • ▸ Slit open, eviscerate, and trim carcasses of slaughtered animals.
  • ▸ Stun animals prior to slaughtering.
  • ▸ Skin sections of animals or whole animals.
  • ▸ Cut, trim, skin, sort, and wash viscera of slaughtered animals to separate edible portions from offal.
  • ▸ Shave or singe and defeather carcasses, and wash them in preparation for further processing or packaging.
  • ▸ Saw, split, or scribe carcasses into smaller portions to facilitate handling.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$33,340$36,150$40,130$46,870$51,090
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$16.03$17.38$19.29$22.54$24.56
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$33,340

25th Percentile

$36,150

Median

$40,130

75th Percentile

$46,870

90th Percentile

$51,090

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. Colorado $50,480 2. Arizona $49,020 3. Nebraska $48,910 4. Kansas $48,240 5. Montana $46,700

Lowest Paying States

44. Puerto Rico $22,710 45. Nevada $30,430 46. New Mexico $30,560 47. Delaware $31,200 48. Mississippi $33,650
View all 48 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Colorado $50,480 +26% above national
2 Arizona $49,020 +22% above national
3 Nebraska $48,910 +22% above national
4 Kansas $48,240 +20% above national
5 Montana $46,700 +16% above national
6 South Carolina $46,000 +15% above national
7 Oregon $45,980 +15% above national
8 Oklahoma $45,970 +15% above national
9 Michigan $45,850 +14% above national
10 New Jersey $45,230 +13% above national
11 Washington $45,100 +12% above national
12 Illinois $44,950 +12% above national
13 Missouri $44,490 +11% above national
14 South Dakota $44,410 +11% above national
15 Utah $44,040 +10% above national
16 Iowa $43,820 +9% above national
17 Indiana $43,770 +9% above national
18 Minnesota $43,360 +8% above national
19 Texas $43,160 +8% above national
20 Vermont $42,220 +5% above national
21 Idaho $40,370 +1% above national
22 Louisiana $40,120 same as national
23 North Carolina $39,930 same as national
24 North Dakota $39,730 1% below national
25 California $39,420 2% below national
26 New Hampshire $39,270 2% below national
27 Hawaii $38,890 3% below national
28 Maine $38,740 3% below national
29 Kentucky $38,330 4% below national
30 Arkansas $37,800 6% below national
31 Massachusetts $37,780 6% below national
32 Maryland $37,650 6% below national
33 Rhode Island $37,570 6% below national
34 Wisconsin $37,510 7% below national
35 Virginia $37,430 7% below national
36 Pennsylvania $37,330 7% below national
37 Ohio $36,800 8% below national
38 Georgia $36,770 8% below national
39 Alabama $36,360 9% below national
40 Connecticut $36,290 10% below national
41 Tennessee $35,790 11% below national
42 Florida $34,430 14% below national
43 New York $33,880 16% below national
44 Mississippi $33,650 16% below national
45 Delaware $31,200 22% below national
46 New Mexico $30,560 24% below national
47 Nevada $30,430 24% below national
48 Puerto Rico $22,710 43% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. Trenton-Princeton, NJ $52,180 2. South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $50,670 3. Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $49,600 4. Corpus Christi, TX $49,460 5. Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area $49,370

Lowest Paying Metros

107. San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $22,910 108. Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $23,230 109. Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area $27,600 110. Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area $29,350 111. Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $29,750
View all 111 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $52,180 +30% above national
2 South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $50,670 +26% above national
3 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $49,600 +24% above national
4 Corpus Christi, TX $49,460 +23% above national
5 Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area $49,370 +23% above national
6 West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area $48,710 +21% above national
7 Kansas nonmetropolitan area $48,240 +20% above national
8 Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $48,150 +20% above national
9 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $48,120 +20% above national
10 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $48,030 +20% above national
11 Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area $47,330 +18% above national
12 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $46,990 +17% above national
13 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $46,670 +16% above national
14 Omaha, NE-IA $46,390 +16% above national
15 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $46,380 +16% above national
16 South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area $46,360 +16% above national
17 Columbia, SC $46,170 +15% above national
18 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $45,300 +13% above national
19 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $45,220 +13% above national
20 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $45,090 +12% above national
21 Madison, WI $44,920 +12% above national
22 Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area $44,640 +11% above national
23 Stockton-Lodi, CA $44,490 +11% above national
24 Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area $44,220 +10% above national
25 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $44,040 +10% above national
26 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $44,040 +10% above national
27 High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area $44,030 +10% above national
28 Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area $43,810 +9% above national
29 Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area $43,800 +9% above national
30 Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area $43,760 +9% above national
31 Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area $43,700 +9% above national
32 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $43,680 +9% above national
33 Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area $43,360 +8% above national
34 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $43,060 +7% above national
35 Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area $42,600 +6% above national
36 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $42,080 +5% above national
37 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $42,070 +5% above national
38 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $41,950 +5% above national
39 Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $39,930 same as national
40 Tyler, TX $39,620 1% below national
41 West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $39,530 1% below national
42 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $39,510 2% below national
43 Fresno, CA $39,420 2% below national
44 Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $39,380 2% below national
45 Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area $39,310 2% below national
46 Maryland nonmetropolitan area $39,250 2% below national
47 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $39,200 2% below national
48 Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area $39,110 3% below national
49 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $39,070 3% below national
50 Kansas City, MO-KS $39,020 3% below national
51 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $38,990 3% below national
52 St. Louis, MO-IL $38,840 3% below national
53 Fort Smith, AR-OK $38,800 3% below national
54 East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area $38,650 4% below national
55 Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area $38,560 4% below national
56 Central East New York nonmetropolitan area $38,520 4% below national
57 Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $38,500 4% below national
58 West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $38,330 4% below national
59 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $38,290 5% below national
60 Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area $37,990 5% below national
61 South Georgia nonmetropolitan area $37,870 6% below national
62 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $37,800 6% below national
63 North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) $37,690 6% below national
64 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $37,570 6% below national
65 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $37,270 7% below national
66 Pittsburgh, PA $37,170 7% below national
67 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $37,160 7% below national
68 Oklahoma City, OK $37,110 8% below national
69 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $37,020 8% below national
70 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $36,830 8% below national
71 North Georgia nonmetropolitan area $36,770 8% below national
72 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $36,580 9% below national
73 Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $36,560 9% below national
74 Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $36,450 9% below national
75 Lebanon, PA $36,420 9% below national
76 Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $36,390 9% below national
77 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $36,270 10% below national
78 South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area $36,190 10% below national
79 Raleigh-Cary, NC $35,960 10% below national
80 Youngstown-Warren, OH $35,940 10% below national
81 South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area $35,880 11% below national
82 Gainesville, GA $35,680 11% below national
83 Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area $35,670 11% below national
84 Cleveland, OH $35,630 11% below national
85 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $35,560 11% below national
86 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $35,380 12% below national
87 Knoxville, TN $35,270 12% below national
88 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $35,140 12% below national
89 Goldsboro, NC $34,780 13% below national
90 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $34,720 13% below national
91 West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area $34,630 14% below national
92 Jackson, MS $34,530 14% below national
93 North Florida nonmetropolitan area $34,430 14% below national
94 Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $34,340 14% below national
95 Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $34,320 14% below national
96 Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area $34,020 15% below national
97 North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area $33,870 16% below national
98 Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area $33,650 16% below national
99 Baton Rouge, LA $32,870 18% below national
100 North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area $32,470 19% below national
101 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $32,240 20% below national
102 Rocky Mount, NC $31,570 21% below national
103 Sussex Delaware nonmetropolitan area $31,200 22% below national
104 Albuquerque, NM $30,580 24% below national
105 Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $30,130 25% below national
106 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $29,910 25% below national
107 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $29,750 26% below national
108 Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area $29,350 27% below national
109 Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area $27,600 31% below national
110 Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $23,230 42% below national
111 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $22,910 43% below national

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Compare Slaughterers and Meat Packers side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Slaughterers and Meat Packers make? ▼
The median annual salary for Slaughterers and Meat Packers is $40,130 ($19.29/hour). The salary range spans from $33,340 at the 10th percentile to $51,090 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Slaughterers and Meat Packers the most? ▼
Colorado pays the highest median salary for Slaughterers and Meat Packers at $50,480/year, which is +26% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Slaughterers and Meat Packers? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Slaughterers and Meat Packers is No formal educational credential. On-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is being a Slaughterers and Meat Packers? ▼
Slaughterers and Meat Packers has a safety grade of B (Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 3.5 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 3.2 per 100 workers.
Is Slaughterers and Meat Packers a good career? ▼
Employment for Slaughterers and Meat Packers is projected to grow 2.2% from 2024 to 2034, which is slower than average. About 8,400 openings are projected each year.
How does Slaughterers and Meat Packers pay vary by state? ▼
Slaughterers and Meat Packers salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Colorado at $50,480/year, while Mississippi pays the least at $33,650/year. BLS data covers 48 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Slaughterers and Meat Packers? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Slaughterers and Meat Packers is Trenton-Princeton, NJ at $52,180/year. BLS reports wage data for 111 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Slaughterers and Meat Packers pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $46,870/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Colorado leads at $50,480/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.