Production
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
Also called: Beef Trimmer, Breast Trimmer, Chicken Cutter, Deboner
US median pay
$38,300
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+5.7%
faster than average
Openings a year (US)
17,000
149,800 employed
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
Use hands or hand tools to perform routine cutting and trimming of meat, poultry, and seafood.
What they do day to day
- Use knives, cleavers, meat saws, bandsaws, or other equipment to perform meat cutting and trimming.
- Weigh meats and tag containers for weight and contents.
- Inspect meat products for defects, bruises or blemishes and remove them along with any excess fat.
- Cut and trim meat to prepare for packing.
- Separate meats and byproducts into specified containers and seal containers.
- Process primal parts into cuts that are ready for retail use.
- Prepare ready-to-heat foods by filleting meat or fish or cutting it into bite-sized pieces, preparing and adding vegetables or applying sauces or breading.
- Clean, trim, slice, and section carcasses for future processing.
- Remove parts, such as skin, feathers, scales or bones, from carcass.
- Obtain and distribute specified meat or carcass.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0/5
- Time Management2.9/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.9/5
- Coordination2.9/5
- Service Orientation2.8/5
- Management of Personnel Resources2.6/5
- Instructing2.6/5
- Operations Monitoring2.5/5
Knowledge
- Production and Processing4.0/5
- Food Production4.0/5
- Public Safety and Security3.6/5
- Mathematics3.6/5
- Administration and Management3.4/5
- Mechanical3.3/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): No formal educational credential.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Less than high school62%
- High school diploma36%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.