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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

51-3023 Slaughterers and Meat Packers

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. Work typically occurs in slaughtering, meat packing, or wholesale establishments. Excludes “Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers” (51-3022) who perform routine meat cutting.


National estimates for Slaughterers and Meat Packers
Industry profile for Slaughterers and Meat Packers
Geographic profile for Slaughterers and Meat Packers

National estimates for Slaughterers and Meat Packers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Slaughterers and Meat Packers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
86,450 1.6 % $ 15.39 $ 32,010 0.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for Slaughterers and Meat Packers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 11.42 $ 13.99 $ 14.38 $ 17.73 $ 18.18
Annual Wage (2) $ 23,750 $ 29,090 $ 29,900 $ 36,870 $ 37,820


Industry profile for Slaughterers and Meat Packers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Slaughterers and Meat Packers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Slaughterers and Meat Packers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Slaughterers and Meat Packers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Animal Slaughtering and Processing 78,500 15.08 $ 15.46 $ 32,160
Food and Beverage Stores (4451 and 4452 only) 2,250 0.08 $ 14.41 $ 29,970
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) 1,700 0.18 $ 15.49 $ 32,220
Animal Food Manufacturing 70 0.11 $ 15.47 $ 32,190
Other Food Manufacturing 50 0.02 $ 15.07 $ 31,340

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Slaughterers and Meat Packers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Animal Slaughtering and Processing 78,500 15.08 $ 15.46 $ 32,160
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) 1,700 0.18 $ 15.49 $ 32,220
Animal Food Manufacturing 70 0.11 $ 15.47 $ 32,190
Food and Beverage Stores (4451 and 4452 only) 2,250 0.08 $ 14.41 $ 29,970
Other Food Manufacturing 50 0.02 $ 15.07 $ 31,340

Top paying industries for Slaughterers and Meat Packers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) 1,700 0.18 $ 15.49 $ 32,220
Animal Food Manufacturing 70 0.11 $ 15.47 $ 32,190
Animal Slaughtering and Processing 78,500 15.08 $ 15.46 $ 32,160
Other Food Manufacturing 50 0.02 $ 15.07 $ 31,340
Food and Beverage Stores (4451 and 4452 only) 2,250 0.08 $ 14.41 $ 29,970


Geographic profile for Slaughterers and Meat Packers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Slaughterers and Meat Packers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Slaughterers and Meat Packers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of slaughterers and meat packers by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Slaughterers and Meat Packers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Carolina 10,200 2.31 3.76 $ 15.45 $ 32,130
Texas 8,530 0.70 1.14 $ 15.79 $ 32,840
Minnesota 6,860 2.51 4.09 $ 15.90 $ 33,080
Iowa 6,550 4.41 7.19 $ 16.89 $ 35,140
California 6,370 0.39 0.63 $ 15.27 $ 31,760


Map of location quotient of slaughterers and meat packers by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Slaughterers and Meat Packers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Iowa 6,550 4.41 7.19 $ 16.89 $ 35,140
Nebraska 2,880 3.01 4.90 $ 16.26 $ 33,820
Minnesota 6,860 2.51 4.09 $ 15.90 $ 33,080
North Carolina 10,200 2.31 3.76 $ 15.45 $ 32,130
South Dakota 840 1.98 3.23 $ 16.92 $ 35,190


Map of annual mean wages of slaughterers and meat packers by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Slaughterers and Meat Packers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Idaho (8) (8) (8) $ 19.17 $ 39,860
Arizona 430 0.15 0.24 $ 18.71 $ 38,920
Colorado 1,990 0.76 1.24 $ 18.58 $ 38,650
Michigan 900 0.22 0.36 $ 17.60 $ 36,610
Massachusetts 110 0.03 0.05 $ 17.34 $ 36,060



Map of employment of slaughterers and meat packers by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Slaughterers and Meat Packers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 1,920 0.45 0.74 $ 17.44 $ 36,280
Fresno, CA 1,900 5.07 8.27 $ 14.81 $ 30,800
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 1,710 0.64 1.05 $ 16.50 $ 34,320
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,560 0.27 0.45 $ 15.73 $ 32,720
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA 920 1.98 3.23 $ 16.25 $ 33,800
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD 890 10.59 17.27 $ 17.18 $ 35,740
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 840 0.82 1.34 $ 14.91 $ 31,010
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 820 0.32 0.52 $ 14.85 $ 30,890
Green Bay, WI 790 4.78 7.79 $ 15.44 $ 32,110
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 760 0.96 1.57 $ 15.31 $ 31,850


Map of location quotient of slaughterers and meat packers by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Slaughterers and Meat Packers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD 890 10.59 17.27 $ 17.18 $ 35,740
Merced, CA 640 8.84 14.41 $ 14.46 $ 30,070
Gainesville, GA 730 8.17 13.32 $ 14.23 $ 29,590
Harrisonburg, VA 370 6.04 9.85 $ 14.65 $ 30,480
Fresno, CA 1,900 5.07 8.27 $ 14.81 $ 30,800
St. Cloud, MN 470 4.82 7.86 $ 16.98 $ 35,320
Green Bay, WI 790 4.78 7.79 $ 15.44 $ 32,110
Amarillo, TX 270 2.34 3.81 (8) (8)
Modesto, CA 390 2.14 3.48 $ 14.54 $ 30,230
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA 920 1.98 3.23 $ 16.25 $ 33,800


Map of annual mean wages of slaughterers and meat packers by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Slaughterers and Meat Packers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 70 0.04 0.06 $ 19.64 $ 40,850
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 360 0.24 0.40 $ 18.89 $ 39,300
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 130 0.36 0.59 $ 18.77 $ 39,050
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 110 0.04 0.06 $ 18.50 $ 38,470
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 290 0.13 0.21 $ 18.04 $ 37,530
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 140 0.08 0.12 $ 18.00 $ 37,440
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 200 0.37 0.60 $ 17.45 $ 36,300
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 1,920 0.45 0.74 $ 17.44 $ 36,280
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD 890 10.59 17.27 $ 17.18 $ 35,740
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 160 0.13 0.21 $ 17.16 $ 35,700

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Slaughterers and Meat Packers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 6,350 26.45 43.10 $ 15.82 $ 32,910
Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 3,180 27.47 44.77 $ 16.00 $ 33,280
Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 2,070 13.95 22.73 $ 15.62 $ 32,480
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 1,420 5.36 8.73 $ 15.81 $ 32,880
Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area 1,370 10.49 17.10 $ 16.96 $ 35,270

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Slaughterers and Meat Packers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 3,180 27.47 44.77 $ 16.00 $ 33,280
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 6,350 26.45 43.10 $ 15.82 $ 32,910
Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 2,070 13.95 22.73 $ 15.62 $ 32,480
Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 1,070 11.73 19.12 $ 16.03 $ 33,350
Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area 1,370 10.49 17.10 $ 16.96 $ 35,270

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Slaughterers and Meat Packers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area 520 7.77 12.66 $ 18.04 $ 37,530
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 560 2.23 3.63 $ 17.91 $ 37,250
South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 300 1.52 2.47 $ 17.03 $ 35,430
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 990 2.64 4.31 $ 17.01 $ 35,380
Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 400 4.19 6.83 $ 16.99 $ 35,340


About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022