How to become a Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutter or Trimmer

Official title: Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers

Also called: Beef Trimmer, Breast Trimmer, Chicken Cutter, Deboner, Fish Processor, Meat Cutter, Meat Trimmer, Seafood Processor, Trimmer, Wing Scorer

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

Main tasks

• 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.

How to become one

Meat, poultry, and fish processing workers typically need no formal educational credential. They learn their skills on the job.

Typical education to start: No formal educational credential

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $38,300 a year The middle half earn $35,350 to $44,170.
• About 149,800 people work in this job now, and about 158,300 are projected by 2035. (+5.7%)
• People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Related jobs

• Butchers and Meat Cutters
• Slaughterers and Meat Packers
• Bakers
• Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders
• Food Batchmakers
• Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders

Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz

Questions people ask

How do I become a Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutter or Trimmer?

Meat, poultry, and fish processing workers typically need no formal educational credential. They learn their skills on the job.

How much does a Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutter or Trimmer earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $38,300 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $35,350 to $44,170.

Is a Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutter or Trimmer a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 6% by 2035, from about 149,800 to about 158,300 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutter or Trimmer?

Usually not. Only 5% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutter or Trimmer?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the 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. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.