Slaughterers and Meat Packers is a dynamic career path with diverse opportunities. While facing some shifts, the field is adapting to changes in the job market. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Cross-industry, Private Ownership only.

Key Statistics

6,830
2023 Workforce
None
Average Age
$42,660
Average Salary

Employment

Employment and salary information for the Slaughterers and Meat Packers workforce.

Employment Over Time

6,830 Workforce in 2023

The Slaughterers and Meat Packers workforce has been growing over time.

Historical employment trends for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

Yearly Wage Ranking

$42,660 Average Wage

In 2023, Slaughterers and Meat Packers earned an average of $42,660.

Wage ranking compared to other occupations.

Wage Distribution

This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

Salary distribution for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

Employment Growth Projections

2.2% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)

25,516 Projected Employment (5 years)

Projected growth: 11.5%

28,456 Projected Employment (10 years)

Projected growth: 24.4%

This occupation is projected to grow at 2.2% annually, indicating strong future demand.

Historical employment trends and future projections for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Slaughterers and Meat Packers and on wages for those in the field.

Occupations by Industries

This graphic shows the share of Slaughterers and Meat Packers employed by various industries.

Industry distribution for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

Wage Trends by Industry

6.6% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate

Total, All Industry: 14.7% growth (Current: $46,762)

Historical wage growth trends by industry for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

Geographic Distribution

Employment and wage information by geographic location for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).

Top States by Employment

Top States by Employment:

  • CA: 4,610 employees, $42,805 avg wage

Top 10 states by employment for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

Top Metropolitan Areas

Top Metropolitan Areas:

  • Fresno MSA: 3,170 employees, $42,639 avg wage
  • Merced MSA: 1,060 employees, $42,506 avg wage
  • Stockton-Lodi MSA: 170 employees, $46,179 avg wage
  • Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 110 employees, $46,762 avg wage
  • Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 100 employees, $41,169 avg wage

Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

Diversity

Demographic information on Slaughterers and Meat Packers in the US.

Gender and Age

The workforce of Slaughterers and Meat Packers in 2023 was 6,830 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.

Gender and age distribution for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

Races

Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.

Race and ethnicity distribution for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices and required skills for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

Majors

The most common majors achieved by Slaughterers and Meat Packers in 2023 were Business Administration, Business, Social Sciences.

Common majors for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

Education Levels

The main educational levels achieved by Slaughterers and Meat Packers workers.

Education level distribution for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

Skills

Slaughterers and Meat Packers need many skills, but most especially Speaking, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness, Monitoring.

Required skills for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

Knowledge & Abilities

Knowledge areas and abilities required for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

Knowledge Areas

The most important knowledge areas for Slaughterers and Meat Packers include Customer and Personal Service, Food Production, Production and Processing, English Language, Law and Government.

Knowledge areas required for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

Abilities

Key abilities needed for Slaughterers and Meat Packers include Arm-Hand Steadiness, Finger Dexterity, Manual Dexterity, Near Vision, Control Precision.

Required abilities for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

Work Activities

Common work activities performed by Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

Daily Activities

Slaughterers and Meat Packers spend their time on activities such as Handling and Moving Objects, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Performing General Physical Activities, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings, Getting Information.

Most important work activities for Slaughterers and Meat Packers.

About

Slaughterers and Meat Packers

The average yearly wage for Slaughterers and Meat Packers was $42,660 in 2023.

SOC Code

51-3023 - Slaughterers and Meat Packers

Insights and Analysis

Compensation snapshot: Slaughterers and Meat Packers reports an average salary of $42,660.

Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 6,830 workers, indicating sustained demand.

Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 2.2%, which should inform long-term career planning.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

  • College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
    • Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
    • Employment and wage data by occupation
    • Latest data: May 2024
    • Source: bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
    • Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
    • Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
    • Source: onetcenter.org
  • IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
    • Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
  • Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
    • Demographic and workforce data
    • Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
    • Source: census.gov/acs

Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

Methodology

Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.

All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.