Butchers held about 135,500 jobs in 2018. The largest employers of butchers were as follows:
| Food and beverage stores | 79% |
| Animal slaughtering and processing | 6 |
| General merchandise stores | 5 |
The work can be physically demanding, particularly for butchers who make repetitive cuts in processing plants. Butchers typically stand while cutting meat and often lift and move heavy carcasses or boxes of meat supplies.
Because meat must be kept at cool temperatures, butchers commonly work in cold rooms—typically around 40 degrees Fahrenheit—for extended periods.
Butchers must keep their hands and working areas clean to prevent contamination, and those working in retail settings must remain presentable for customers.
Injuries and Illnesses
Butchers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. These workers use tools that can be dangerous, such as sharp knives and meat saws, and work in areas with slippery floors and surfaces. To reduce the risk of cuts and falls, workers wear protective clothing, such as cut-resistant gloves, heavy aprons, and nonslip footwear.
Work Schedules
Most butchers work full time. Butchers who work in grocery or retail stores may work early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays. Workers in animal slaughtering and processing facilities may work shifts that start in the early morning or in the afternoon or evening.
Most butchers learn their skills through on-the-job training lasting more than a year. No formal education is required.
Education
There are no formal education requirements for becoming a butcher.
Training
Butchers typically learn their skills on the job, and the length of training varies considerably. Training for simple cutting may take only a few weeks. However, more complicated cutting tasks generally require training that may last from several months to more than a year.
Training for entry-level workers often begins by having the worker learn less difficult tasks, such as making simple cuts, removing bones, or dividing wholesale cuts into retail portions. Under the guidance of more experienced workers, trainees learn the proper use and care of tools and equipment. For example, they learn how to sharpen their knives and clean working areas and equipment.
Trainees also may learn how to shape, roll, and tie roasts; prepare sausage; and cure meat. Employees also receive training in food safety to minimize the risk of foodborne pathogens in meats.
Butchers who follow religious dietary guidelines for food preparation may be required to undergo more specialized training and certification before becoming endorsed by a religious organization to prepare meat.
Butchers and meat cutters typically have an interest in the Building, Persuading and Organizing interest areas, according to the Holland Code framework. The Building interest area indicates a focus on working with tools and machines, and making or fixing practical things. The Persuading interest area indicates a focus on influencing, motivating, and selling to other people. The Organizing interest area indicates a focus on working with information and processes to keep things arranged in orderly systems.
If you are not sure whether you have a Building or Persuading or Organizing interest which might fit with a career as a butcher and meat cutter, you can take a career test to measure your interests.
Butchers and meat cutters should also possess the following specific qualities:
Concentration. Butchers and meat cutters must pay close attention to what they are doing to avoid injury and waste of product.
Customer-service skills. Those who work in retail stores should be courteous, be able to answer customers’ questions, and fill orders to the customers’ satisfaction.
Manual dexterity. Butchers and meat cutters use sharp knives and meat cutting equipment as part of their duties. Therefore, they must have good hand control in order to make proper cuts of meat that are the right size.
Physical stamina. Butchers and meat cutters spend hours on their feet while cutting, packaging, or storing meat.
Physical strength. Butchers and meat cutters should be strong enough to lift and carry heavy boxes of meat, which often weigh up to 50 pounds.
The median annual wage for butchers was $32,500 in May 2019. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $21,780, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $49,630.
In May 2019, the median annual wages for butchers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| General merchandise stores | $36,300 |
| Animal slaughtering and processing | 32,770 |
| Food and beverage stores | 32,020 |
Most butchers work full time. Butchers who work in grocery or retail stores may work early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays. Workers in animal slaughtering and processing facilities may work shifts that start in the early morning or in the afternoon or evening.
Employment of butchers is projected to grow 3 percent from 2018 to 2028, slower than the average for all occupations.
The popularity of various meat products, such as sausages, cured meats, and specialty cuts, is expected to drive employment growth of butchers in retail stores, such as grocery and specialty food stores.
Job Prospects
Many butcher and meatcutter jobs, particularly those in processing plants, are physically demanding. As a result, job opportunities are expected to be good because of the need to replace workers who leave the occupation each year.
For information about the meat-processing industry and related trends, visit