Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products (SOC 45-2041) earn a median $35,730 a year ($17.18 an hour) in the United States, with 25,180 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Colorado.
What graders and sorters, agricultural products do
Graders and sorters of agricultural products grade, sort, or classify raw food and other agricultural products on the basis of size, weight, color, or condition. They judge color, species, length, width, appearance, feel, smell, and quality when grading and sorting, so that the products are processed and used correctly. Products judged acceptable are placed in containers for further processing, and the grade is marked on each container. Inferior or defective products and foreign matter are discarded. The grader weighs products or estimates their weight, visually or by feel. Alternate titles show the range of crops and tasks: apple sorter, banana grader, bean sorter, bulb grader, asparagus buncher, and agricultural produce sorter. The occupation excludes agricultural inspectors, who inspect commodities, processing equipment, and facilities to check compliance with health, quality, and safety rules and have a separate code. The grader's job is to classify the product itself rather than to enforce regulations, and the work centers on judging each item by sight, touch, or smell.
Typical entry: O*NET survey respondents most often report less than a high school diploma as the education level for this occupation.
Also called: Agricultural Establishment Grader Inspector, Agricultural Produce Sorter, Agriculture Laborer, Apple Sorter, Apple Turner.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $14.22 | $16.50 | $17.18 | $18.39 | $21.39 | $17.51 | 25,180 |
| Annual | $29,580 | $34,320 | $35,730 | $38,260 | $44,490 | $36,430 | ||
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 graders and sorters, agricultural products 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 | ||||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $14.89 | $16.49 | $23.43 | $25.38 | $26.69 | $21.69 | 230 | 0.08 | 0.50 |
| Annual | $30,960 | $34,300 | $48,740 | $52,790 | $55,510 | $45,110 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $18.42 | $22.81 | $22.86 | $23.20 | $25.21 | $22.83 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.07 |
| Annual | $38,310 | $47,440 | $47,540 | $48,260 | $52,440 | $47,490 | ||||
| Maine | Hourly | $17.06 | $19.44 | $22.03 | $22.05 | $22.44 | $21.16 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.35 |
| Annual | $35,490 | $40,420 | $45,810 | $45,860 | $46,670 | $44,010 | ||||
| North Dakota | Hourly | $17.65 | $18.61 | $21.92 | $23.00 | $25.95 | $21.65 | 260 | 0.60 | 3.69 |
| Annual | $36,720 | $38,710 | $45,590 | $47,840 | $53,970 | $45,020 | ||||
| Nebraska | Hourly | $16.72 | $20.88 | $21.90 | $26.42 | $30.26 | $23.00 | 330 | 0.32 | 1.99 |
| Annual | $34,780 | $43,430 | $45,560 | $54,960 | $62,930 | $47,830 | ||||
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 | $16.50 | $16.76 | $17.47 | $18.17 | $20.28 | $17.96 | 5,750 | 0.32 | 1.95 |
| Annual | $34,320 | $34,870 | $36,330 | $37,790 | $42,170 | $37,350 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $16.66 | $16.66 | $16.80 | $17.20 | $18.92 | $17.42 | 2,830 | 0.80 | 4.93 |
| Annual | $34,650 | $34,650 | $34,950 | $35,770 | $39,360 | $36,230 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $14.08 | $16.57 | $17.35 | $18.39 | $20.63 | $17.52 | 1,950 | 0.14 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $29,280 | $34,460 | $36,090 | $38,260 | $42,910 | $36,440 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $12.44 | $15.85 | $17.04 | $18.05 | $20.38 | $17.05 | 1,700 | 0.35 | 2.14 |
| Annual | $25,870 | $32,970 | $35,450 | $37,540 | $42,390 | $35,470 | ||||
| Arkansas | Hourly | $15.74 | $16.17 | $16.98 | $17.68 | $18.36 | $17.10 | 1,650 | 1.27 | 7.84 |
| Annual | $32,750 | $33,640 | $35,310 | $36,780 | $38,190 | $35,580 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | Hourly | $18.61 | $21.39 | $23.41 | $23.41 | $29.89 | $23.65 | 40 | 0.75 | 4.61 |
| Annual | $38,710 | $44,500 | $48,700 | $48,700 | $62,170 | $49,200 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $16.58 | $19.34 | $22.28 | $22.28 | $27.39 | $22.62 | 80 | 0.03 | 0.20 |
| Annual | $34,480 | $40,230 | $46,350 | $46,350 | $56,970 | $47,040 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $17.65 | $17.85 | $21.40 | $21.40 | $22.21 | $20.13 | 210 | 0.19 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $36,720 | $37,130 | $44,510 | $44,510 | $46,190 | $41,870 | ||||
| Fargo, ND-MN | Hourly | $17.65 | $17.89 | $21.33 | $22.34 | $24.86 | $21.14 | 40 | 0.29 | 1.80 |
| Annual | $36,720 | $37,220 | $44,370 | $46,460 | $51,700 | $43,970 | ||||
| Omaha, NE-IA | Hourly | $16.72 | $20.41 | $20.88 | $20.88 | $20.88 | $20.67 | 120 | 0.25 | 1.55 |
| Annual | $34,780 | $42,450 | $43,430 | $43,430 | $43,430 | $43,000 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Yakima, WA | Hourly | $16.66 | $16.66 | $16.71 | $16.80 | $17.21 | $16.92 | 1,250 | 12.89 | 79.59 |
| Annual | $34,650 | $34,650 | $34,750 | $34,950 | $35,790 | $35,190 | ||||
| Fresno, CA | Hourly | $16.50 | $16.50 | $16.83 | $17.67 | $18.33 | $17.24 | 950 | 2.00 | 12.35 |
| Annual | $34,320 | $34,320 | $35,010 | $36,760 | $38,130 | $35,870 | ||||
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | Hourly | $16.50 | $16.50 | $16.98 | $17.49 | $18.56 | $17.25 | 720 | 2.12 | 13.07 |
| Annual | $34,320 | $34,320 | $35,310 | $36,370 | $38,600 | $35,870 | ||||
| Visalia, CA | Hourly | $16.50 | $16.50 | $16.81 | $17.20 | $18.35 | $17.22 | 540 | 3.15 | 19.45 |
| Annual | $34,320 | $34,320 | $34,960 | $35,770 | $38,160 | $35,820 | ||||
| Salinas, CA | Hourly | $17.30 | $17.79 | $17.95 | $18.18 | $19.72 | $18.27 | 520 | 2.77 | 17.13 |
| Annual | $35,990 | $37,000 | $37,340 | $37,820 | $41,010 | $38,000 | ||||
Top industries employing graders and sorters, agricultural products
Animal Slaughtering and Processing employ 36.2% of graders and sorters, agricultural products nationally (9,110 jobs) at a median $35,720 a year ($17.17 an hour), followed by Support Activities for Crop Production (34.2%) and Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) (6.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing NAICS 311600 | 9,110 | 36.2% | $35,720 | $17.17 |
| Support Activities for Crop Production NAICS 115100 | 8,610 | 34.2% | $35,010 | $16.83 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) NAICS 4240A1 | 1,580 | 6.3% | $35,810 | $17.22 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing NAICS 311400 | 1,220 | 4.8% | $35,670 | $17.15 |
| Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers NAICS 424500 | 850 | 3.4% | $39,170 | $18.83 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (25,180). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $29,630 for graders and sorters, agricultural products in May 2021 and $35,730 in May 2025, with employment of 25,560 and 25,180.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $29,630 | $14.25 | 25,560 |
| May 2022 | $32,550 | $15.65 | 23,280 |
| May 2023 | $34,360 | $16.52 | 23,430 |
| May 2024 | $35,430 | $17.03 | 26,870 |
| May 2025 | $35,730 | $17.18 | 25,180 |
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
37 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 | Colorado profile | $23.43 | $48,740 | $30,960 | $55,510 | 230 | 0.08 | 0.50 |
| 2 | Minnesota profile | $22.86 | $47,540 | $38,310 | $52,440 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.07 |
| 3 | Maine profile | $22.03 | $45,810 | $35,490 | $46,670 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.35 |
| 4 | North Dakota profile | $21.92 | $45,590 | $36,720 | $53,970 | 260 | 0.60 | 3.69 |
| 5 | Nebraska profile | $21.90 | $45,560 | $34,780 | $62,930 | 330 | 0.32 | 1.99 |
| 6 | Utah profile | $20.53 | $42,710 | $37,220 | $44,030 | 100 | 0.06 | 0.37 |
| 7 | Iowa profile | $20.41 | $42,450 | $39,240 | $55,740 | 170 | 0.11 | 0.68 |
| 8 | Massachusetts profile | $20.08 | $41,770 | $31,200 | $45,500 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.06 |
| 9 | Maryland profile | $20.07 | $41,740 | $32,960 | $63,970 | 430 | 0.16 | 0.97 |
| 10 | Illinois profile | $20.03 | $41,670 | $36,270 | $46,910 | 220 | 0.04 | 0.23 |
| 11 | South Dakota profile | $19.18 | $39,900 | $30,140 | $48,720 | 380 | 0.82 | 5.07 |
| 12 | Michigan profile | $18.84 | $39,180 | $30,910 | $63,640 | 100 | 0.02 | 0.14 |
| 13 | Ohio profile | $18.51 | $38,500 | $22,260 | $47,020 | 100 | 0.02 | 0.11 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania profile | $18.48 | $38,430 | $35,760 | $44,590 | 970 | 0.16 | 0.99 |
| 15 | Kansas profile | $18.35 | $38,170 | $24,860 | $54,680 | 160 | 0.11 | 0.70 |
| 16 | New Jersey profile | $18.21 | $37,880 | $33,330 | $38,910 | ** | ** | ** |
| 17 | Kentucky profile | $17.94 | $37,300 | $28,490 | $37,400 | 160 | 0.08 | 0.51 |
| 18 | Tennessee profile | $17.73 | $36,880 | $34,670 | $41,450 | 640 | 0.20 | 1.21 |
| 19 | California profile | $17.47 | $36,330 | $34,320 | $42,170 | 5,750 | 0.32 | 1.95 |
| 20 | Louisiana profile | $17.35 | $36,090 | $26,050 | $52,830 | 280 | 0.15 | 0.90 |
| 21 | Texas profile | $17.35 | $36,090 | $29,280 | $42,910 | 1,950 | 0.14 | 0.86 |
| 22 | Missouri profile | $17.21 | $35,800 | $33,990 | $39,050 | 530 | 0.18 | 1.11 |
| 23 | Georgia profile | $17.04 | $35,450 | $25,870 | $42,390 | 1,700 | 0.35 | 2.14 |
| 24 | Alabama profile | $17.02 | $35,390 | $30,330 | $36,580 | 840 | 0.40 | 2.46 |
| 25 | Arkansas profile | $16.98 | $35,310 | $32,750 | $38,190 | 1,650 | 1.27 | 7.84 |
| 26 | Washington profile | $16.80 | $34,950 | $34,650 | $39,360 | 2,830 | 0.80 | 4.93 |
| 27 | Virginia profile | $16.76 | $34,860 | $34,600 | $44,110 | 230 | 0.06 | 0.35 |
| 28 | North Carolina profile | $16.69 | $34,720 | $23,830 | $40,930 | 450 | 0.09 | 0.57 |
| 29 | Oklahoma profile | $16.68 | $34,700 | $26,380 | $46,410 | 260 | 0.16 | 0.96 |
| 30 | Oregon profile | $16.66 | $34,660 | $29,650 | $44,200 | 730 | 0.37 | 2.30 |
| 31 | South Carolina profile | $16.59 | $34,510 | $30,310 | $40,330 | 230 | 0.10 | 0.63 |
| 32 | Wisconsin profile | $15.99 | $33,250 | $23,170 | $46,730 | 110 | 0.04 | 0.24 |
| 33 | Arizona profile | $15.24 | $31,700 | $30,770 | $44,020 | 170 | 0.05 | 0.31 |
| 34 | New Mexico profile | $14.65 | $30,480 | $27,320 | $35,700 | 90 | 0.11 | 0.66 |
| 35 | Mississippi profile | $14.49 | $30,140 | $15,940 | $33,950 | 1,140 | 0.98 | 6.04 |
| 36 | Idaho profile | $13.31 | $27,680 | $23,710 | $45,590 | 600 | 0.70 | 4.33 |
| 37 | Florida profile | $13.21 | $27,470 | $27,040 | $35,360 | 880 | 0.09 | 0.55 |
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 45-2041 Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- 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 45-2041, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 45-2041.00, 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.