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Meat and Poultry Processing
Tyson Foods, JBS USA, Smithfield Foods
Slaughterers and Meat Packers
This job is hands-on plant work: workers stun, bleed, skin, split, trim, and pack meat while keeping up with a fast-moving production line. The work stands out because it mixes animal handling with sharp tools, heavy lifting, and strict sanitation rules, so speed has to coexist with precision. Pay is modest for that level of physical strain, and most long-term advancement comes from learning the line well enough to move into lead or supervisor roles.
Also known as Meat PackerMeat CutterSlaughterhouse WorkerMeat ProcessorHarvest Worker
Median Salary
$39,790
Mean $40,710
U.S. Workforce
~68K
8.4K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+2.2%
69.6K to 71.2K
Entry Education
No formal educational credential
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Slaughterers and Meat Packers sits in the Manufacturing category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~68K workers, with a median annual pay of $39,790 and roughly 8.4K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 69.6 K in 2024 to 71.2K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High School Diploma, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Meat Processing Helper and can progress toward Production Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Production Line Monitoring & Process Control, Operations Monitoring, and Operation and Control, paired with soft skills such as Speaking, Active Listening, and Critical Thinking.
Core Responsibilities
- Stun animals before processing and get them ready for slaughter.
- Hoist carcasses by the hind legs so they can be bled or skinned.
- Cut carcasses open, remove the internal organs, and trim away unwanted parts.
- Drain blood from the carcass after slaughter.
Keep exploring: more Manufacturing careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Stun animals before processing and get them ready for slaughter.
02 Hoist carcasses by the hind legs so they can be bled or skinned.
03 Cut carcasses open, remove the internal organs, and trim away unwanted parts.
04 Drain blood from the carcass after slaughter.
05 Remove the hide or skin from whole animals or sections of animals.
06 Work along a production line making specific cuts, splitting meat into smaller pieces, and trimming heads or bones.
Industries That Hire
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Food Manufacturing
Hormel Foods, Cargill, Perdue Farms
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Protein Brands and Packing
National Beef, OSI Group, Pilgrim's
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Cold Storage and Refrigerated Logistics
Lineage Logistics, Americold, UNFI
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Grocery Wholesale and Food Distribution
Sysco, US Foods, Gordon Food Service
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can get started without a college degree; BLS says the typical entry requirement is no formal educational credential and no work experience.
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Training is usually short, so people can learn the basics of the job quickly instead of spending years in school.
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The job market is large, with about 67,500 workers currently employed and 8.4 thousand projected openings a year.
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Demand is fairly steady even though growth is only 2.2% from 2024 to 2034, which can make the work more stable than more cyclical industries.
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There is a clear ladder into lead or supervisor roles if you build speed, accuracy, and safety habits on the line.
Challenges
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The pay is modest for physically hard work: the median annual wage is $39,790 and the mean is $40,710.
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The job is physically demanding, with lots of handling and moving objects, standing, and repetitive cutting throughout the day.
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Safety risks are real because the work involves sharp knives, saws, live-animal handling, and fast-moving equipment.
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Long-term growth is limited: employment is projected to rise only 2.2% over the next decade, so many openings will come from turnover rather than expansion.
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The work can be hard to move beyond, because many plants standardize tasks and automation can reduce the need for some routine cutting and packing jobs.
Career Progression
Meat Processing Helper
0-1 years
$31K-$36K
New workers learn plant rules, basic sanitation, and simple line tasks while working under close supervision.
Slaughterer and Meat Packer
1-4 years
$37K-$43K
Workers handle cutting, skinning, trimming, and packing tasks more independently and keep pace with the line.
Line Lead THIS ROLE
4-7 years
$44K-$52K
Experienced workers help keep production moving, check quality, and train newer employees on safe handling.
Production Supervisor
7-12 years
$53K-$65K
Supervisors manage crews, solve line problems, and balance output with safety and inspection standards.
Education Paths
High School Diploma
The most common entry point, held by 60.8% of workers in this role.
Less Than a High School Diploma
Another 28.63% of workers entered with less than a high school diploma, which shows employers often prioritize stamina and reliability over formal credentials.
Some College Courses
A smaller 10.57% of workers have some college courses, but a degree is usually not necessary to get hired.
Short-Term On-the-Job Training
Many employers still rely on short-term on-the-job training so new workers can learn knife safety, sanitation rules, and line pace.
Key Skills
Technical
Production Line Monitoring & Process Control 45%
Operations Monitoring 45%
Operation and Control 42%
Quality Control Analysis 42%
Meat Cutting Tools, Saws & Knives 40%
Food Safety, Sanitation & HACCP Procedures 38%
Soft Skills
SpeakingActive ListeningCritical ThinkingSocial PerceptivenessAttention to DetailTeamwork Job Outlook and Trends
+2.2%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
8.4K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 69.6K to 71.2 K over the next decade, representing 2.2% growth. Around 8.4 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.