Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
No formal educational credential
None
Short-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Slaughterers and meat packers (51-3023) work in a specialized production environment focused on processing meat products. National employment stands at 70,000 workers, indicating a sizable occupational group across the country. The field offers an entry path that does not require a formal educational credential, which can make it accessible for people looking to start earning quickly or change careers without returning to school. The role draws on a combination of fine motor ability, physical strength and stamina, mechanical aptitude, and attention to detail, along with adaptability and problem-solving. Nationally, employment is projected to grow by 2.2%, with about 8,000 annual openings, suggesting ongoing replacement and hiring needs. Individuals with strong hands-on skills and comfort in physically demanding, process-driven work may find this occupation a practical option, and those who build additional strengths in areas like leadership, customer service, and mathematics may be positioned for advancement within production or related roles over time.
The national median annual salary for slaughterers and meat packers is $39,790. Within this overall picture, pay varies by location. Among the highlighted states, Colorado shows a median salary of $50,480, and Washington reports $45,100, both above the national median for this occupation. California’s median of $39,420 is close to the national figure, while Massachusetts at $37,780 and New York at $33,880 are somewhat lower. At the metro level, San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA reports a median salary of $45,300, and Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV stands at $35,380. The New York–Newark–Jersey City metro lists $35,560, and Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim is at $36,270. These numbers show that earnings can differ meaningfully across regions, so job seekers may want to weigh compensation alongside other factors such as location preferences, available openings, and long-term goals within production-related work.
Slaughterers and meat packers have national employment of about 70,000, with projected employment growth of 2.2%. This indicates that the occupation is expected to see some increase over the projection period. In addition to growth, there are approximately 8,000 annual openings, which reflect a mix of new positions and replacement of workers who leave or move to other roles. This combination suggests steady hiring activity across the country. The 2.2% projected growth rate appears consistently across the highlighted states and metro areas, indicating a similar forward outlook in those specific regions. For individuals interested in production environments and hands-on work, these figures point to ongoing opportunities to enter the field or move between employers. Job seekers can consider both the national picture and the local opportunity scores, salaries, and employment levels to identify regions that fit their employment and wage goals.
Geography plays a significant role in opportunities for slaughterers and meat packers. Among states, California stands out with an opportunity score of 67.38, 6,170 employed workers, and a median salary of $39,420. Massachusetts and New York both show strong opportunity scores (65.87 and 65.78), but with much lower employment counts—170 and 1,750 respectively—and median salaries of $37,780 and $33,880. Colorado and Washington offer higher median salaries of $50,480 and $45,100, with opportunity scores around the mid-50s. At the metro level, New York–Newark–Jersey City leads with an opportunity score of 77.27, employment of 2,000, and a median salary of $35,560. San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont combines a higher salary of $45,300 with an opportunity score of 68.75. Other metros such as Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, Boston–Cambridge–Newton, and Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim show moderate salaries and opportunity scores in the low-to-mid 60s, giving job seekers multiple viable regional options.
For slaughterers and meat packers, the typical education requirement is “no formal educational credential.” This makes the occupation accessible to individuals who have not pursued traditional postsecondary education or who are seeking a faster entry into the workforce. While no formal credential is required, success in this role relies on a specific skill profile. Key strengths include fine motor skills, physical strength and stamina, and mechanical abilities, all of which support hands-on, repetitive production work. Being detail oriented and adaptable is also important, as is the ability to apply basic mathematics and use science-related understanding where needed. Skills in customer service and leadership can be valuable for interacting with others and taking on added responsibility over time. Creativity and innovation round out the skill set, supporting problem-solving and process improvement. Together, these abilities can help workers perform effectively and potentially position themselves for advancement or related roles in production environments.
Use CareerGPS Pro to compare markets, understand the tradeoffs, and focus on the places with the strongest potential.
