Butchers: Salary, career path, job outlook, education and more
- Education Required
- There are no formal education requirements for becoming a butcher.
- Training Required
- 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.
- Job Outlook
-
The projected percent change in employment from 2016 to 2026: 6% (As fast as average)
(The average growth rate for all occupations is 7 percent.) - Median pay: How much do Butchers make?
- $29,870 Annual Salary
- $14.36 per hour
Butchers cut, trim, and package meat for retail sale.
What do Butchers do?
Butchers typically do the following:
- Sharpen and adjust knives and cutting equipment
- Receive, inspect, and store meat upon delivery
- Cut, debone, or grind pieces of meat
- Weigh, wrap, and display meat or meat products
- Cut or prepare meats to specification or customers orders
- Store meats in refrigerators or freezers at the required temperature
- Clean equipment and work areas to maintain health and sanitation standards
Butchers cut and trim meat from larger, wholesale portions into steaks, chops, roasts, and other cuts. They then prepare meat for sale by performing various duties, such as weighing meat, wrapping it, and putting it out for display. In retail stores, they also wait on customers and prepare special cuts of meat upon request.
Careers for Butchers
- Butcher apprentices
- Halal butchers
- Kosher butchers
- Meat carvers
- Meat clerks
- Meat counter workers
- Meatcutters