Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
Use hands or hand tools to perform routine cutting and trimming of meat, poultry, and seafood.
Also called: Abalone Processor, Animal Eviscerator, Animal Skinner, Animal Sticker, Bacon Derinder, Bacon Skin Lifter
Median pay
$38,300
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$29,980 – $48,150
People employed
145,700
Holland code
RCI
Realistic · Conventional · Investigative
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you comfortable following clear instructions?
- 2.Are you happy working mostly on your own, with little contact with others?
- 3.Are you OK being on your feet and moving most of the day?
- 4.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 5.Do you want the same hours every week?
- 6.Are you OK with physical risk, such as hazardous equipment or conditions, with proper training?
The hard parts
- Long hours on your feet
- Tight deadlines are common
- Mistakes can have serious consequences
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers pay by state
Annual median pay by state (50 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers salary in every state →
What meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers do
- 01Use knives, cleavers, meat saws, bandsaws, or other equipment to perform meat cutting and trimming.
- 02Weigh meats and tag containers for weight and contents.
- 03Process primal parts into cuts that are ready for retail use.
- 04Inspect meat products for defects, bruises or blemishes and remove them along with any excess fat.
- 05Cut and trim meat to prepare for packing.
- 06Separate meats and byproducts into specified containers and seal containers.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Reading Comprehension
Knowledge
- Production and Processing
- Food Production
- Public Safety and Security
- Mathematics
- Administration and Management
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a high school diploma (O*NET Job Zone 2).
- Related work experience: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- On-the-job training: over 1 month, up to and including 3 months.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
- Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products84% · −7%
- Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals82% · −4%
- Packers and Packagers, Hand82% · −5%
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders81% · +13%
- Machine Feeders and Offbearers79% · +8%
Change into meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products84% · $35,730
- Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals82% · $36,670
- Cooks, Fast Food77% · $30,890
- Cooks, Restaurant75% · $37,390
- Cooks, Short Order74% · $35,880