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The differences between butchers and meat cutter apprentices can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a butcher and a meat cutter apprentice. Additionally, a butcher has an average salary of $32,047, which is higher than the $30,581 average annual salary of a meat cutter apprentice.
The top three skills for a butcher include food safety, culinary and safety standards. The most important skills for a meat cutter apprentice are quality standards, food safety, and customer orders.
| Butcher | Meat Cutter Apprentice | |
| Yearly salary | $32,047 | $30,581 |
| Hourly rate | $15.41 | $14.70 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 6,871 | 14,403 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A butcher is someone responsible for turning whole or large pieces of meat into ready-to-cook or retail-ready portions that can be purchased by customers or restaurants. Butchers know how to cut meat, poultry, and fish properly, so they deal mostly with sharp instruments like knives, grinders, and other cutting equipment. Butchers are knowledgeable in the science of temperature and aging to ensure they are of great quality at all times and adhere to health regulations. They are commonly seen in wet markets, supermarkets, grocery stores, butcher shops, and slaughterhouses, but some are self-employed or have their own meat shop.
Meat cutter apprentices perform their duties under the supervision of more advanced meat cutters. Besides ensuring meat quality, meat cutter apprentices also rotate, prepare, keep, and receive meat products. Other duties performed by these professionals include displaying meat items correctly, serving customers, and maintaining sales, preparation, and storage areas as per the approved sanitation program. Also, they pack, price, and display meat products attractively. They cut orders as per specific demands, prepare and market meat products.
Butchers and meat cutter apprentices have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Butcher | Meat Cutter Apprentice | |
| Average salary | $32,047 | $30,581 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $40,000 | Between $22,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | - |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | - |
| Best paying company | Omaha Steaks | - |
| Best paying industry | Finance | - |
There are a few differences between a butcher and a meat cutter apprentice in terms of educational background:
| Butcher | Meat Cutter Apprentice | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between butchers' and meat cutter apprentices' demographics:
| Butcher | Meat Cutter Apprentice | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.0% Female, 12.0% | Male, 90.4% Female, 9.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 6.6% White, 61.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 6.9% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |