Butcher Salary / Wage
Salary and wage information for butchers is compiled regularly by analysis of Australian jobs advertised in major publications. Salaries are annual unless otherwise stated.
The Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations Code (ANZSCO) for butchers or smallgoods makers is 351211.
Job titles and exact tasks vary in this work and examples of some occupation titles are butcher, retail butcher, qualified butcher, head butcher and apprentice butcher.
This occupation is currently on the Australian Combined Skilled Occupation List, (Short-term Skilled Occupation List, STSOL).
The average Australian weekly full-time ordinary earnings across all occupations in mid-2018 were $1,586, giving an annual income of approximately $82,472. This was 2.6% higher than in mid-2017.*
Data supplied from Indeed over the past 36 months, based on over 140 salaries, estimated that the average salary for a butcher was $55,365 per year in Australia.
Butcher Salaries / Wages in 2018
| Job Title | Salary / Wage $ | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Store Manager-Senior Butcher | 65,000 – 80,000 | Sydney, New South Wales |
| Trade Qualified Butcher | 55,000 – 65,000 | Sydney, New South Wales |
| Butchers & Apprentices | 45,000 – 60,000 | Melbourne, Victoria |
| Casual Butcher | $25 – $30 per hour | Sunshine Coast |
| Butcher – Retail | $30 – $35 per hour | Brisbane, Queensland |
| Retail / Wholesale Butcher Assistant Manager | 50,000 – 70,000 | Brisbane, Queensland |
| Butcher | $30 – $35 per hour | Perth, Western Australia |
| Boning Room Supervisor | 70,000 – 75,000 | Perth, Western Australia |
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*Source:ABS
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This industry is a disgrace. We work soo hard, and are qualified tradespeople. We are the only people who can do these tasks, and yet any job is the same if not better paying considering the hours we work and the dangers and wear and tear on the body. If you want to find the best job to have your entitlements and conditions stripped from you, and you want your wage in decline, look no further than the meat industry. I’ve been qualified for 20 years. The cleaners get paid more than me per hour.
I’m a retired butcher after 43 years in the trade. It used to be well paid but for the last 25 years it has fallen WAY behind. The union is as weak as water and should be disbanded. Look what the shoppies union has achieved for it’s members in the same time. The 18 year old checkout chick (or rooster?) gets $5 per hour more than the butcher down the back of the store. The butcher did a 3-4 year apprenticeship and in most cases supply their own tools of trade. Stay away from this job !!
That’s very true
Hi how much does a junior first yr apprentice earn
First year apprentice wage is 50% butcher award, around $10 hour.
I’m considering doing a butcher apprenticeship. Is it worth doing or a bricklayer one? Got job offers for both
I’m a butcher and I just been offered $1600 a week Monday to Friday doing 50 hours a week …! Best offer I have been given ! Just gotta look for the right place ! I know the butcher trade not good anymore but follow the money when you can don’t stick to one shop
Antony. Hi where are you earning this kind of wage? What level of butchery are you? I’ve 25 years experience and would love that kinda money.
Hi all, I have been a butcher for the past 18 years and I am qualified. Butchers in South Africa get paid the worst.
this is a job where your employee expects a lot out a tradesman in return for a wage that you can not live on forget it it sucks
if you are a hard worker that doesn’t mind long hours, and can make do with what you’ve got, then id highly recommend it;)
its not all about being a millionare you can pretty much live off that if you’re fully qualified, im only 18 from south Africa and I’m earning just over 2000k per month as a blockman, it also depends on what type of person you are, if you are a hard worker that doesn’t mind long hours and you can make do with what you’ve got, then i’d highly recommend it
I enjoy my career very much. It takes a certain person to do what we do. The pay may not be great but still we are hard working and its a career path where you can work anywhere in the world.
Give it a shot.
This trade is now a disgrace ! You’ll earn more money mowing lawns or cleaning floors at Safeway.
In the last 25 years the wage has gone from $12 an hour to $19.50 an hour with the Safeway union trying to reduce it . Shop butchers are on less than supermarket butchers even though they have twice the skills and work up to 20 hours a week more with no RDO’S , perks or allowances.
stay away from this trade it’s as dead as the animals you work with.!!!!!!!
For the last 15 years I haven’t earned under 90k and have earned up to 130k managing retail shops working 53 hours a week
This trade is a very skilful one, but the money is very low. A fully qualified trades mans is only on $21 per hour. I am now a teacher, went to uni for 4 years and now am on $55 ph, the butchery trade is 4 year trade, 3 years at tafe and you come out of it on $21 PH, it’s a joke.
Don’t do this trade
Fully qualified butcher trades person is $19.70 per hour. Do something else with your life. This trade is under valued and completely Under payed. Total rip off and waste of your time