Agricultural Inspectors: Career Profile
Inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment, and facilities, and fish and logging operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and laws governing health, quality, and safety.
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What Tasks Do Agricultural Inspectors Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of agricultural inspectors span:
- Inspect food products and processing procedures to determine whether products are safe to eat.
- Interpret and enforce government acts and regulations and explain required standards to agricultural workers.
Skills and Knowledge
Top agricultural inspectors combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Agricultural Inspectors Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Agricultural Commodities Inspector
- Agricultural Commodity Grader
- Agricultural Inspector
- Agricultural Specialist
- Agriculture Inspector
- Brand Inspector
- Cattle Examiner
- Cattle Inspector
Job Outlook
There are about 324,218 agricultural inspectors working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -3.9% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Agricultural Inspectors
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $24,614 |
| Hourly median | $11.83 |
| 10th percentile | $20,000 |
| 25th percentile | $22,000 |
| 75th percentile | $28,504 |
| 90th percentile | $32,394 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Agricultural Inspectors Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Michigan | $72,300 |
| New York | $71,710 |
| Minnesota | $68,330 |
| Ohio | $65,750 |
| Delaware | $64,730 |
| Washington | $62,560 |
| Vermont | $61,080 |
| Hawaii | $60,900 |
| Louisiana | $60,170 |
| New Jersey | $59,510 |
| Maryland | $57,200 |
| Colorado | $56,310 |
| North Dakota | $55,840 |
| Illinois | $54,720 |
| Iowa | $53,910 |
| Oregon | $53,090 |
| Virginia | $52,950 |
| Wisconsin | $52,580 |
| New Mexico | $52,460 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,920 |
| Texas | $51,890 |
| California | $51,490 |
| Utah | $51,330 |
| Kansas | $50,830 |
| Montana | $50,360 |
| Oklahoma | $49,940 |
| Tennessee | $49,450 |
| Maine | $49,440 |
| Idaho | $49,000 |
| Kentucky | $49,000 |
| South Carolina | $49,000 |
| Missouri | $49,000 |
| Indiana | $48,420 |
| Nebraska | $48,140 |
| Massachusetts | $46,470 |
| North Carolina | $45,670 |
| Arizona | $44,100 |
| Georgia | $43,250 |
| Arkansas | $42,050 |
| Mississippi | $41,600 |
| Florida | $39,770 |
| Alabama | $39,560 |
| Wyoming | $36,670 |
| Puerto Rico | $19,980 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Pay for agricultural inspectors vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes | $58,410 | 10.7% | 0.80 |
| Middle Atlantic | $58,120 | 10.8% | 1.08 |
| Far Western US | $54,112 | 24.1% | 1.63 |
| Plains States | $53,429 | 12.6% | 2.63 |
| New England | $53,062 | 1.3% | 1.36 |
| Southwest | $50,366 | 8.8% | 0.88 |
| Rocky Mountains | $48,225 | 4.3% | 2.24 |
| Southeast | $45,353 | 24.4% | 1.21 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $99,680 | 40 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | CA | $94,380 | 30 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $90,170 | 80 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | NY | $81,700 | 40 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | MI | $81,120 | 40 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $79,250 | 150 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $78,640 | 130 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | CA | $71,180 | 30 |
Industry Breakdown
Most agricultural inspectors are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 980 | $45,670 |
| Wholesale Trade | 870 | $55,970 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 590 | $47,330 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 500 | $41,180 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 170 | $51,900 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 130 | $44,360 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 110 | $90,340 |
| Educational Services | 80 | $52,460 |
Agricultural Inspectors work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of agricultural inspectors reflects the following characteristics:
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Contact With Others
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
How to Become Agricultural Inspectors
Entry-level agricultural inspectors positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Industrial Production Managers (Supplemental)
- Quality Control Systems Managers (Supplemental)
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors (Supplemental)
- Government Property Inspectors and Investigators (Supplemental)
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors (Supplemental)
- Food Scientists and Technologists (Supplemental)
- Agricultural Technicians (Primary-Short)
- Food Science Technicians (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for agricultural inspectors typically earn programs in:
Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 45-2011.00 (Agricultural Inspectors).
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