Occupation salary profile

Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products

SOC 45-2041 BLS OEWS May 2025

Grade, sort, or classify unprocessed food and other agricultural products by size, weight, color, or condition. Excludes “Agricultural Inspectors” (45-2011).

National median · BLS
$35,730
▲ +0.85% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$36,430
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
25,180
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$29,580
25th$34,320
Median (50th)$35,730
75th$38,260
90th — top pay$44,490

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Monthly—
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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products

BLS projects employment of graders and sorters, agricultural products to decline 3.4% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%. About 5,800 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
45,400 → 43,800
-1,500 jobs
Projected change
-3.4%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
5,800
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
1% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Fastest-declining jobs → Best-paying jobs that need no formal education →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Monitoring2.9
  • Active Listening2.8
  • Speaking2.8
  • Coordination2.5
  • Critical Thinking2.5
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.3
  • Reading Comprehension2.3
  • Time Management2.3
  • Writing2.3
  • Active Learning2.1
Top knowledge areas
  • Production and Processing3.6
  • English Language3.0
  • Mechanical3.0
  • Food Production2.8
  • Education and Training2.7
  • Foreign Language2.4
  • Public Safety and Security2.3
  • Administration and Management2.3
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft Active Server Pages ASPMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft Word

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What graders and sorters, agricultural products do

  • 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.
  • Record grade or identification numbers on tags or on shipping, receiving, or sales sheets.
Also called
Apple SorterGraderPotato GraderSorterAgriculture LaborerCorn Lab TechnicianDistribution TechnicianEgg GraderEgg WorkerPotato Sorter
More job titles for this occupation (80)
Agricultural Establishment Grader InspectorAgricultural Produce SorterApple TurnerAsparagus BuncherBanana ExpertBanana GraderBean SorterBulb GraderButter GraderCamelid Fiber SorterCarrot BuncherCarrot TierCasing GraderCelery CutterCelery PackerCelery StripperCelery TierCelery WrapperCheese GraderCheese PackerCherry SorterChick GraderChick SexerChicken SexerCitrus Fruit PackerClam SorterCoffee SamplerCoffee TasterCoffee WeigherColoring Room ManColoring Room WorkerCotton ClasserCotton Classer AideCotton ExpertCotton GraderCotton Seed CullerEgg CandlerEgg SorterEgg TesterEgg TrayerEggs InspectorFish Liver SorterFish Roe TechnicianFlour TesterFlower GraderFood InspectorFood Safety SpecialistFood TasterFruit CheckerFruit CullerFruit ExpertFruit GraderFruit InspectorFruit PackerFruit SorterFruit WorkerGrain GraderGrain InspectorGrain PickerGrain SamplerHide GraderInspector AideLaboratory TechnicianLeaf Size PickerLeaf SorterLeaf StripperLettuce TrimmerMeat GraderMeat InspectorMilk InspectorMilk SamplerNut CullerNut GraderNut PackerNut PickerNut SorterOlive GraderOnion TierOyster GraderOyster Picker

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.