Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
SOC 51-9061BLS OEWS May 2025
Inspect, test, sort, sample, or weigh nonagricultural raw materials or processed, machined, fabricated, or assembled parts or products for defects, wear, and deviations from specifications. May use precision measuring instruments and complex test equipment.
National median · BLS
$48,570
▲ +2.34%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$53,450
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
597,370
Jobs (BLS)
Highest-paying state (cost-adjusted)Loading…
Most jobsLoading…
Highest-paying metro (cost-adjusted)Loading…
Check your salary
Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$35,510
25th
$39,890
Median (50th)
$48,570
75th
$61,440
90th — top pay
$77,860
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
Type in either box; the other updates instantly.
⇄
Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
BLS projects employment of inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers to grow 2.5% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 66,700 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
602,000 → 617,200
+15,200 jobs
Projected change
+2.5%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
66,700
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
1.2% 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.
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers salaries by state
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
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
Quality Control Analysis3.8
Critical Thinking3.3
Writing3.3
Active Listening3.1
Judgment and Decision Making3.1
Reading Comprehension3.1
Speaking3.1
Monitoring3.0
Operations Monitoring3.0
Time Management3.0
Top knowledge areas
Production and Processing4.3
English Language3.6
Customer and Personal Service3.4
Mechanical3.2
Mathematics3.1
Computers and Electronics2.9
Education and Training2.6
Engineering and Technology2.6
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordApache HiveAtlassian JIRAAutodesk AutoCADDassault Systemes SolidWorksExtensible markup language XMLMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft SharePointMicrosoft VisioRSAP softwareSeleniumStructured query language SQLThe MathWorks MATLAB
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 inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers do
Discard or reject products, materials, or equipment not meeting specifications.
Mark items with details, such as grade or acceptance-rejection status.
Measure dimensions of products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as rulers, calipers, gauges, or micrometers.
Notify supervisors or other personnel of production problems.
Inspect, test, or measure materials, products, installations, or work for conformance to specifications.
Write test or inspection reports describing results, recommendations, or needed repairs.
Recommend necessary corrective actions, based on inspection results.
Read dials or meters to verify that equipment is functioning at specified levels.
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.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $48,570.
