Agricultural Inspectors
Agricultural Inspectors (SOC 45-2011) earn a median $49,940 a year ($24.01 an hour) in the United States, with 14,410 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Minnesota.
What agricultural inspectors do
Agricultural inspectors inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment, and facilities, as well as fish and logging operations, to make sure they comply with regulations and laws governing health, quality, and safety. In food work they inspect products and processing procedures to determine whether the products are safe to eat. They interpret and enforce government acts and regulations and explain the required standards to agricultural workers. The alternate titles O*NET lists show the variety of the work: agricultural commodity grader, brand inspector, cattle inspector, certifier, and compliance analyst or coordinator. The inspection covers the commodities themselves, the equipment used to process them, and the buildings and operations around them, so the inspector's attention may move from product quality to sanitation, safety, or paperwork depending on the assignment. Graders and sorters of agricultural products, who sort unprocessed goods by size, weight, color, or condition, are classified separately.
Typical entry: O*NET survey respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the education level for this occupation.
Also called: Agricultural Commodities Inspector, Agricultural Commodity Grader, Agricultural Inspector, Agriculture Inspector, Brand Inspector.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.80 | $20.35 | $24.01 | $31.01 | $38.26 | $26.40 | 14,410 |
| Annual | $37,020 | $42,330 | $49,940 | $64,500 | $79,580 | $54,910 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where agricultural inspectors earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $25.62 | $30.42 | $37.09 | $40.82 | $47.05 | $36.24 | 180 | 0.06 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $53,290 | $63,270 | $77,150 | $84,910 | $97,860 | $75,380 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $21.17 | $31.25 | $35.54 | $39.73 | $45.95 | $35.09 | 340 | 0.04 | 0.38 |
| Annual | $44,030 | $64,990 | $73,920 | $82,640 | $95,570 | $72,980 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $24.91 | $27.96 | $33.31 | $34.55 | $38.19 | $31.98 | 210 | 0.04 | 0.41 |
| Annual | $51,810 | $58,160 | $69,280 | $71,860 | $79,440 | $66,520 | ||||
| Michigan | Hourly | $23.78 | $26.64 | $31.60 | $40.95 | $44.52 | $33.94 | 320 | 0.07 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $49,460 | $55,410 | $65,730 | $85,180 | $92,600 | $70,600 | ||||
| Vermont | Hourly | $26.28 | $27.82 | $30.59 | $35.78 | $41.86 | $32.24 | 60 | 0.20 | 2.20 |
| Annual | $54,660 | $57,870 | $63,630 | $74,420 | $87,070 | $67,050 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $18.34 | $20.18 | $25.78 | $37.28 | $44.76 | $29.14 | 2,340 | 0.13 | 1.39 |
| Annual | $38,150 | $41,980 | $53,620 | $77,550 | $93,100 | $60,610 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $14.93 | $17.68 | $19.93 | $22.36 | $27.96 | $20.82 | 1,390 | 0.28 | 3.06 |
| Annual | $31,050 | $36,770 | $41,460 | $46,510 | $58,160 | $43,310 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $19.39 | $20.75 | $24.01 | $33.29 | $39.98 | $27.70 | 590 | 0.04 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $40,330 | $43,160 | $49,940 | $69,240 | $83,150 | $57,610 | ||||
| Iowa | Hourly | $21.92 | $23.15 | $23.85 | $29.62 | $37.93 | $27.12 | 560 | 0.36 | 3.87 |
| Annual | $45,590 | $48,160 | $49,600 | $61,610 | $78,890 | $56,410 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.00 | $17.35 | $21.15 | $24.20 | $30.42 | $22.17 | 520 | 0.05 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $35,360 | $36,090 | $43,990 | $50,340 | $63,270 | $46,110 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | Hourly | $35.45 | $35.45 | $45.12 | $45.12 | $45.12 | $42.99 | 30 | 0.28 | 3.00 |
| Annual | $73,740 | $73,740 | $93,840 | $93,840 | $93,840 | $89,430 | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $28.82 | $34.18 | $40.82 | $45.47 | $47.05 | $38.96 | 130 | 0.06 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $59,950 | $71,090 | $84,910 | $94,580 | $97,860 | $81,030 | ||||
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | Hourly | $26.66 | $27.00 | $39.96 | $42.12 | $44.52 | $36.48 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.28 |
| Annual | $55,450 | $56,170 | $83,120 | $87,610 | $92,600 | $75,870 | ||||
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | Hourly | $25.09 | $32.32 | $39.73 | $46.78 | $51.18 | $38.77 | 40 | 0.09 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $52,190 | $67,220 | $82,640 | $97,310 | $106,440 | $80,640 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $21.92 | $31.39 | $39.52 | $42.91 | $46.46 | $36.88 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.21 |
| Annual | $45,590 | $65,290 | $82,200 | $89,250 | $96,640 | $76,710 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $18.34 | $21.44 | $30.52 | $39.44 | $45.74 | $31.50 | 660 | 0.11 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $38,150 | $44,590 | $63,490 | $82,040 | $95,140 | $65,510 | ||||
| Gainesville, GA | Hourly | $17.68 | $17.68 | $19.93 | $21.51 | $21.51 | $20.33 | 350 | 3.41 | 36.78 |
| Annual | $36,770 | $36,770 | $41,460 | $44,730 | $44,730 | $42,290 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $17.88 | $19.43 | $21.37 | $23.30 | $43.64 | $25.25 | 320 | 0.30 | 3.22 |
| Annual | $37,190 | $40,410 | $44,450 | $48,470 | $90,760 | $52,520 | ||||
| Fresno, CA | Hourly | $17.53 | $22.68 | $27.35 | $31.68 | $38.26 | $27.66 | 270 | 0.56 | 6.08 |
| Annual | $36,450 | $47,170 | $56,890 | $65,890 | $79,580 | $57,530 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $16.73 | $20.46 | $22.46 | $27.33 | $33.02 | $23.62 | 230 | 0.08 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $34,800 | $42,560 | $46,720 | $56,850 | $68,680 | $49,120 | ||||
Top industries employing agricultural inspectors
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) employ 37.3% of agricultural inspectors nationally (5,370 jobs) at a median $50,010 a year ($24.04 an hour), followed by Animal Slaughtering and Processing (20.3%) and Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) (15.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 5,370 | 37.3% | $50,010 | $24.04 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing NAICS 311600 | 2,930 | 20.3% | $44,730 | $21.51 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 2,240 | 15.5% | $63,270 | $30.42 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 1,040 | 7.2% | $69,820 | $33.57 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services NAICS 541900 | 850 | 5.9% | $48,300 | $23.22 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (14,410). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $45,140 for agricultural inspectors in May 2021 and $49,940 in May 2025, with employment of 13,630 and 14,410.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $45,140 | $21.70 | 13,630 |
| May 2022 | $44,720 | $21.50 | 14,000 |
| May 2023 | $48,010 | $23.08 | 12,660 |
| May 2024 | $50,990 | $24.51 | 12,090 |
| May 2025 | $49,940 | $24.01 | 14,410 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
43 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota profile | $37.09 | $77,150 | $53,290 | $97,860 | 180 | 0.06 | 0.67 |
| 2 | New York profile | $35.54 | $73,920 | $44,030 | $95,570 | 340 | 0.04 | 0.38 |
| 3 | Ohio profile | $33.31 | $69,280 | $51,810 | $79,440 | 210 | 0.04 | 0.41 |
| 4 | Michigan profile | $31.60 | $65,730 | $49,460 | $92,600 | 320 | 0.07 | 0.79 |
| 5 | Vermont profile | $30.59 | $63,630 | $54,660 | $87,070 | 60 | 0.20 | 2.20 |
| 6 | Louisiana profile | $30.35 | $63,130 | $49,940 | $83,780 | 150 | 0.08 | 0.85 |
| 7 | Washington profile | $30.23 | $62,880 | $46,740 | $80,640 | 450 | 0.13 | 1.36 |
| 8 | Illinois profile | $29.81 | $62,000 | $44,130 | $93,590 | 470 | 0.08 | 0.83 |
| 9 | Hawaii profile | $29.16 | $60,650 | $41,970 | $83,050 | 90 | 0.14 | 1.53 |
| 10 | Maryland profile | $27.96 | $58,160 | $40,200 | $78,860 | 150 | 0.06 | 0.60 |
| 11 | North Dakota profile | $27.69 | $57,590 | $39,630 | $73,600 | 80 | 0.19 | 2.02 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania profile | $26.76 | $55,650 | $45,620 | $80,480 | 520 | 0.09 | 0.92 |
| 13 | Nebraska profile | $26.49 | $55,090 | $40,880 | $64,940 | 370 | 0.36 | 3.91 |
| 14 | Utah profile | $25.93 | $53,930 | $41,290 | $67,200 | 120 | 0.07 | 0.76 |
| 15 | Wisconsin profile | $25.79 | $53,640 | $42,900 | $68,160 | 220 | 0.07 | 0.79 |
| 16 | California profile | $25.78 | $53,620 | $38,150 | $93,100 | 2,340 | 0.13 | 1.39 |
| 17 | Oklahoma profile | $25.51 | $53,060 | $38,910 | $70,820 | 170 | 0.10 | 1.05 |
| 18 | Oregon profile | $25.51 | $53,060 | $43,450 | $68,040 | 110 | 0.05 | 0.59 |
| 19 | New Mexico profile | $25.21 | $52,450 | $36,820 | $66,870 | 170 | 0.20 | 2.15 |
| 20 | Kansas profile | $24.82 | $51,630 | $37,600 | $75,360 | 190 | 0.13 | 1.39 |
| 21 | Delaware profile | $24.80 | $51,590 | $43,080 | $82,930 | 90 | 0.18 | 1.90 |
| 22 | Colorado profile | $24.25 | $50,430 | $45,250 | $73,340 | 280 | 0.10 | 1.06 |
| 23 | South Carolina profile | $24.01 | $49,940 | $37,110 | $67,200 | 90 | 0.04 | 0.44 |
| 24 | Texas profile | $24.01 | $49,940 | $40,330 | $83,150 | 590 | 0.04 | 0.45 |
| 25 | Iowa profile | $23.85 | $49,600 | $45,590 | $78,890 | 560 | 0.36 | 3.87 |
| 26 | Idaho profile | $23.39 | $48,650 | $34,990 | $64,770 | 280 | 0.33 | 3.57 |
| 27 | Indiana profile | $23.35 | $48,560 | $34,110 | $74,740 | 480 | 0.15 | 1.63 |
| 28 | Tennessee profile | $23.00 | $47,840 | $40,580 | $61,110 | 410 | 0.12 | 1.33 |
| 29 | North Carolina profile | $22.96 | $47,760 | $34,250 | $68,700 | 290 | 0.06 | 0.64 |
| 30 | Virginia profile | $22.78 | $47,380 | $41,640 | $64,360 | 380 | 0.09 | 0.99 |
| 31 | Kentucky profile | $22.42 | $46,640 | $36,480 | $67,200 | 270 | 0.14 | 1.48 |
| 32 | Massachusetts profile | $22.36 | $46,510 | $38,890 | $89,960 | 70 | 0.02 | 0.20 |
| 33 | Missouri profile | $22.22 | $46,220 | $37,960 | $61,110 | 450 | 0.15 | 1.66 |
| 34 | Arizona profile | $21.97 | $45,700 | $37,440 | $55,780 | 160 | 0.05 | 0.52 |
| 35 | Florida profile | $21.15 | $43,990 | $35,360 | $63,270 | 520 | 0.05 | 0.57 |
| 36 | Arkansas profile | $20.22 | $42,060 | $37,490 | $48,810 | 410 | 0.31 | 3.37 |
| 37 | Maine profile | $20.08 | $41,760 | $37,610 | $66,480 | 110 | 0.16 | 1.77 |
| 38 | New Jersey profile | $19.96 | $41,520 | $35,630 | $79,210 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.16 |
| 39 | Georgia profile | $19.93 | $41,460 | $31,050 | $58,160 | 1,390 | 0.28 | 3.06 |
| 40 | Mississippi profile | $19.21 | $39,960 | $29,870 | $45,600 | 190 | 0.17 | 1.79 |
| 41 | Alabama profile | $18.90 | $39,300 | $31,450 | $67,340 | 290 | 0.14 | 1.49 |
| 42 | Nevada profile | $18.88 | $39,270 | $39,270 | $79,750 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.36 |
| 43 | Wyoming profile | $17.63 | $36,670 | $31,190 | $60,910 | 150 | 0.52 | 5.57 |
Part of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 45-2011 Agricultural Inspectors.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 45-2011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 45-2011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.