Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products: Career Overview
Grade, sort, or classify unprocessed food and other agricultural products by size, weight, color, or condition.
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What Do Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products Perform?
Typical responsibilities of graders and sorters, agricultural products cover:
- 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.
What Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products Need to Know
Successful graders and sorters, agricultural products draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Agricultural Establishment Grader Inspector
- Agricultural Produce Sorter
- Agriculture Laborer
- Apple Sorter
- Apple Turner
- Asparagus Buncher
- Banana Expert
- Banana Grader
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 120,747 graders and sorters, agricultural products working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +10.3% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $45,998 |
| Hourly median | $22.11 |
| 10th percentile | $29,209 |
| 25th percentile | $37,604 |
| 75th percentile | $54,393 |
| 90th percentile | $62,788 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| North Dakota | $46,290 |
| Kansas | $46,120 |
| Maine | $45,660 |
| Nebraska | $45,000 |
| Utah | $42,660 |
| Iowa | $41,570 |
| Wisconsin | $40,470 |
| South Dakota | $39,730 |
| Missouri | $39,280 |
| Illinois | $38,980 |
| Ohio | $38,810 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,680 |
| Virginia | $37,450 |
| California | $36,190 |
| Louisiana | $36,190 |
| New Jersey | $36,090 |
| West Virginia | $36,060 |
| Tennessee | $35,990 |
| Maryland | $35,650 |
| Georgia | $35,480 |
| Texas | $35,480 |
| Oregon | $35,200 |
| Kentucky | $35,090 |
| Alabama | $35,080 |
| Washington | $34,860 |
| Oklahoma | $34,790 |
| Arkansas | $34,040 |
| North Carolina | $34,040 |
| South Carolina | $32,990 |
| Colorado | $32,260 |
| Michigan | $32,160 |
| Mississippi | $31,660 |
| Florida | $30,780 |
| New Mexico | $29,760 |
| Idaho | $27,620 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for graders and sorters, agricultural products differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains States | $41,808 | 6.0% | 2.42 |
| Middle Atlantic | $37,790 | 4.3% | 0.72 |
| Great Lakes | $36,920 | 1.7% | 0.20 |
| Far Western US | $35,690 | 44.5% | 3.49 |
| Southwest | $35,107 | 8.9% | 0.79 |
| Southeast | $34,044 | 30.7% | 3.13 |
| Rocky Mountains | $30,444 | 3.8% | 2.92 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $46,560 | 130 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | SD | $42,710 | 30 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $41,320 | 300 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $41,120 | 410 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | LA | $39,560 | 50 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $38,990 | |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $38,980 | |
| Toledo, OH | OH | $38,810 | 60 |
Which Industries Hire Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
The largest employers of graders and sorters, agricultural products are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10,710 | $34,840 |
| Manufacturing | 10,150 | $35,320 |
| Wholesale Trade | 3,320 | $37,890 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 630 | $35,970 |
| Retail Trade | 240 | $35,290 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 220 | $41,590 |
Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP (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)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for graders and sorters, agricultural products tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Standing
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
- Physical Proximity
How to Become Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
Most graders and sorters, agricultural products positions require less than a high school diploma as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Food Science Technicians (Supplemental)
- Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping (Primary-Long)
- Agricultural Inspectors (Supplemental)
- Agricultural Equipment Operators (Supplemental)
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse (Primary-Long)
- Log Graders and Scalers (Supplemental)
- Bakers (Supplemental)
- Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers (Primary-Short)
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from 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: 45-2041.00 (Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products).
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