# Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers

> Use hands or hand tools to perform routine cutting and trimming of meat, poultry, and seafood.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/meat-poultry-and-fish-cutters-and-trimmers
- SOC code: 51-3022.00
- Career family: Production
- Median annual pay: $38,300 (10th percentile $29,980, 90th percentile $48,150)
- Projected growth: Faster than average, +5.7%
- Openings a year: 17,000
- Typical entry education: No formal credential
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RCI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 100 |
| Investigative (I) | 13 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 6 |
| Enterprising (E) | 7 |
| Conventional (C) | 49 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 81/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 81/100)
- Handling and Moving Objects (importance 80/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 77/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 72/100)
- Processing Information (importance 72/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 71/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 70/100)
- Controlling Machines and Processes (importance 68/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 67/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring, Speaking, Coordination, Social Perceptiveness, Time Management, Service Orientation, Instructing

## Knowledge

Production and Processing, Food Production, Public Safety and Security, Mathematics, Administration and Management, Mechanical, Personnel and Human Resources, Transportation, Education and Training, English Language

## Also called

Abalone Processor, Animal Eviscerator, Animal Skinner, Animal Sticker, Bacon Derinder, Bacon Skin Lifter, Bacon Skinner, Bacon Slicer, Beef Boner, Beef Breaker

## Related careers

- [Slaughterers and Meat Packers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/slaughterers-and-meat-packers): $40,130 median pay
- [Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/graders-and-sorters-agricultural-products): $35,730 median pay
- [Butchers and Meat Cutters](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/butchers-and-meat-cutters): $40,140 median pay
- [Packers and Packagers, Hand](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/packers-and-packagers-hand): $36,280 median pay
- [Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/farmworkers-farm-ranch-and-aquacultural-animals): $36,670 median pay
- [Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/food-and-tobacco-roasting-baking-and-drying-machine-operators-and-tenders): $44,810 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.