Slaughterers and Meat Packers Salary
Production Occupations · 70K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$40,130
Median hourly
$19
Average annual
$41,770
Typical range
$33,340–$51,090
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Slaughterers and Meat Packers is $40,130 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $19 an hour at a full-time schedule.
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.
Most earn between $33,340 and $51,090 a year. There are roughly 70K people employed as slaughterers and meat packers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.
- Hourly
- $19.29
- Daily
- $154
- Weekly
- $772
- Bi-weekly
- $1,543
- Monthly
- $3,344
- Annual
- $40,130
$40,130 a year is around the 50th percentile for Slaughterers and Meat Packerss. The median is $40,130.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Colorado$50,480
- 2Arizona$49,020
- 3Nebraska$48,910
- 4Kansas$48,240
- 5Montana$46,700
- 6South Carolina$46,000
- 7Oregon$45,980
- 8Oklahoma$45,970
- 9Michigan$45,850
- 10New Jersey$45,230
- 11Washington$45,100
- 12Illinois$44,950
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Trenton-Princeton, NJ$52,180
- 2Sioux City, IA-NE-SD$49,600
- 3Corpus Christi, TX$49,460
- 4Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL$48,120
- 5Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH$48,030
- 6Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$46,990
- 7Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$46,670
- 8Omaha, NE-IA$46,390
- 9Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$46,380
- 10Columbia, SC$46,170
- 11San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$45,300
- 12Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX$45,220
Related job titles
Employers advertise Slaughterers and Meat Packers roles under these titles.
Related occupations
- Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$38,300
- Butchers and Meat Cutters$40,140
- Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$36,670
- Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products$35,730
- Animal Breeders$51,130
- Food Preparation Workers$35,320
- Packers and Packagers, Hand$36,280
- Cooks, Restaurant$37,390
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Slaughterers and Meat Packers make?
- The median annual wage for Slaughterers and Meat Packers is $40,130 ($19 per hour). Pay ranges from about $33,340 at the 10th percentile to $51,090 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Slaughterers and Meat Packers?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $41,770, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Slaughterers and Meat Packerss the most?
- Colorado has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $50,480.
- Is Slaughterers and Meat Packers a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 70K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.