Graders and sorters, agricultural products salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $29,580 | $14.22 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $35,730 | $17.18 |
| Mean (average) | $36,430 | $17.51 |
| 90th percentile | $44,490 | $21.39 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Graders and sorters, agricultural products pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 37 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $35,390 | $30,330 | $36,580 | 840 | 2.46 |
| Arizona | $31,700 | $30,770 | $44,020 | 170 | 0.31 |
| Arkansas | $35,310 | $32,750 | $38,190 | 1,650 | 7.84 |
| California | $36,330 | $34,320 | $42,170 | 5,750 | 1.95 |
| Colorado | $48,740 | $30,960 | $55,510 | 230 | 0.5 |
| Florida | $27,470 | $27,040 | $35,360 | 880 | 0.55 |
| Georgia | $35,450 | $25,870 | $42,390 | 1,700 | 2.14 |
| Idaho | $27,680 | $23,710 | $45,590 | 600 | 4.33 |
| Illinois | $41,670 | $36,270 | $46,910 | 220 | 0.23 |
| Iowa | $42,450 | $39,240 | $55,740 | 170 | 0.68 |
| Kansas | $38,170 | $24,860 | $54,680 | 160 | 0.7 |
| Kentucky | $37,300 | $28,490 | $37,400 | 160 | 0.51 |
| Louisiana | $36,090 | $26,050 | $52,830 | 280 | 0.9 |
| Maine | $45,810 | $35,490 | $46,670 | 40 | 0.35 |
| Maryland | $41,740 | $32,960 | $63,970 | 430 | 0.97 |
| Massachusetts | $41,770 | $31,200 | $45,500 | 40 | 0.06 |
| Michigan | $39,180 | $30,910 | $63,640 | 100 | 0.14 |
| Minnesota | $47,540 | $38,310 | $52,440 | 30 | 0.07 |
| Mississippi | $30,140 | $15,940 | $33,950 | 1,140 | 6.04 |
| Missouri | $35,800 | $33,990 | $39,050 | 530 | 1.11 |
| Nebraska | $45,560 | $34,780 | $62,930 | 330 | 1.99 |
| New Jersey | $37,880 | $33,330 | $38,910 | ||
| New Mexico | $30,480 | $27,320 | $35,700 | 90 | 0.66 |
| North Carolina | $34,720 | $23,830 | $40,930 | 450 | 0.57 |
| North Dakota | $45,590 | $36,720 | $53,970 | 260 | 3.69 |
| Ohio | $38,500 | $22,260 | $47,020 | 100 | 0.11 |
| Oklahoma | $34,700 | $26,380 | $46,410 | 260 | 0.96 |
| Oregon | $34,660 | $29,650 | $44,200 | 730 | 2.3 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,430 | $35,760 | $44,590 | 970 | 0.99 |
| South Carolina | $34,510 | $30,310 | $40,330 | 230 | 0.63 |
| South Dakota | $39,900 | $30,140 | $48,720 | 380 | 5.07 |
| Tennessee | $36,880 | $34,670 | $41,450 | 640 | 1.21 |
| Texas | $36,090 | $29,280 | $42,910 | 1,950 | 0.86 |
| Utah | $42,710 | $37,220 | $44,030 | 100 | 0.37 |
| Virginia | $34,860 | $34,600 | $44,110 | 230 | 0.35 |
| Washington | $34,950 | $34,650 | $39,360 | 2,830 | 4.93 |
| Wisconsin | $33,250 | $23,170 | $46,730 | 110 | 0.24 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for graders and sorters, agricultural products
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 5,800. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 1%.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for graders and sorters, agricultural products
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Place products in containers according to grade and mark grades on containers.
- Weigh products or estimate their weight, visually or by feel.
- Discard inferior or defective products or foreign matter, and place acceptable products in containers for further processing.
- Grade and sort products according to factors such as color, species, length, width, appearance, feel, smell, and quality to ensure correct processing and usage.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Persuasion.
Common job titles: Agriculture Laborer, Apple Sorter, Corn Lab Technician, Distribution Technician, Egg Grader, Egg Worker, Grader, Potato Grader, Potato Sorter, Sorter.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do graders and sorters, agricultural products make?
The national median annual wage for graders and sorters, agricultural products was $35,730 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $29,580 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $44,490. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do graders and sorters, agricultural products need?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is graders and sorters, agricultural products a growing career?
BLS projects employment of graders and sorters, agricultural products to change -3.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 5,800 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay graders and sorters, agricultural products the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Colorado ($48,740), Minnesota ($47,540), Maine ($45,810). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.