Butcher vs meat smoker

The differences between butchers and meat smokers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a meat smoker has an average salary of $32,839, which is higher than the $32,047 average annual salary of a butcher.

Butcher vs meat smoker overview

	Butcher	Meat Smoker
Yearly salary	$32,047	$32,839
Hourly rate	$15.41	$15.79
Growth rate	-3%	4%
Number of jobs	6,871	7,825
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 42%	High School Diploma, 100%
Average age	42	41
Years of experience	4	-

Butcher vs meat smoker salary

Butchers and meat smokers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Butcher	Meat Smoker
Average salary	$32,047	$32,839
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $40,000	Between $27,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	-
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	-
Best paying company	Omaha Steaks	-
Best paying industry	Finance	-

Differences between butcher and meat smoker education

There are a few differences between a butcher and a meat smoker in terms of educational background:

	Butcher	Meat Smoker
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 42%	High School Diploma, 100%
Most common major	Business	Biology
Most common college	-	-

Butcher vs meat smoker demographics

Here are the differences between butchers' and meat smokers' demographics:

	Butcher	Meat Smoker
Average age	42	41
Gender ratio	Male, 88.0% Female, 12.0%	Male, 100.0% Female, 0.0%
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, 10.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 7.3% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
LGBT Percentage	3%	9%

Differences between butcher and meat smoker duties and responsibilities

Butcher example responsibilities.

Coordinate in processing beef and fish to prepare meat in cooking form.
Carve bone-in or boneless cuts of meat with the use of knives, slicers, power cutters and band saws.
Handle cutting meats such as chicken, steak, pork, etc.
Maintain smokers for sausage, bacon and jerky.
Perform daily tasks of helping customers with their groceries.
Maintain USDA regulations require for the proper handling and sanitary conditions.

Meat smoker example responsibilities.

Maintain department organization and cleanliness according to sanitation standards.
Collaborate with management to help maintain inventory levels.

Butcher vs meat smoker skills

Common butcher skills

Food Safety, 14%
Culinary, 12%
Safety Standards, 11%
Food Preparation, 10%
Sanitation Standards, 9%
Food Products, 4%

Common meat smoker skills

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Updated January 8, 2025

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