Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers (SOC 51-9061) earn a median $48,570 a year ($23.35 an hour) in the United States, with 597,370 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Alaska.
What inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers do
Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers check manufactured goods and nonagricultural raw materials against specifications. They measure parts with rulers, calipers, gauges, or micrometers, test items for wear and defects, and sort material by grade. Items that fail are discarded or rejected, and accepted items may be marked with grade or acceptance status. Inspectors write reports of what they found, including recommendations or repairs needed, and notify supervisors when a pattern suggests a production problem. Some work with precision measuring instruments and sophisticated test equipment, and they read dials or meters to confirm that equipment is working at the specified levels. Job titles are tied to products, from air conditioning unit tester to acid tester and abrasive grader. The role is about verifying quality rather than making the product, which separates it from assemblers and machine operators.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, a high school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Abrasive Grader, Acid Tester, Air Box Tester, Air Conditioning Unit Tester (AC Unit Tester), Air Sampler.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.07 | $19.18 | $23.35 | $29.54 | $37.44 | $25.70 | 597,370 |
| Annual | $35,510 | $39,890 | $48,570 | $61,440 | $77,860 | $53,450 | ||
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 inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers 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 | ||||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $23.80 | $30.60 | $37.57 | $56.02 | $68.48 | $43.53 | 300 | 0.93 | 0.24 |
| Annual | $49,500 | $63,640 | $78,150 | $116,510 | $142,430 | $90,540 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $19.63 | $23.65 | $30.97 | $51.00 | $55.40 | $35.87 | 12,010 | 3.38 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $40,830 | $49,190 | $64,420 | $106,080 | $115,240 | $74,600 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $18.00 | $22.48 | $29.71 | $39.82 | $47.70 | $31.69 | 4,600 | 1.66 | 0.43 |
| Annual | $37,440 | $46,760 | $61,790 | $82,820 | $99,220 | $65,920 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $17.33 | $20.00 | $28.72 | $33.14 | $44.93 | $29.40 | 650 | 1.03 | 0.27 |
| Annual | $36,040 | $41,600 | $59,740 | $68,930 | $93,460 | $61,150 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $19.78 | $24.11 | $28.71 | $34.70 | $44.00 | $30.61 | 70 | 0.11 | 0.03 |
| Annual | $41,130 | $50,140 | $59,730 | $72,180 | $91,510 | $63,660 | ||||
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 | $18.63 | $21.94 | $26.11 | $32.97 | $42.41 | $28.63 | 61,130 | 3.36 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $38,750 | $45,630 | $54,300 | $68,580 | $88,210 | $59,540 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $15.48 | $18.24 | $22.22 | $28.67 | $37.77 | $24.70 | 56,390 | 4.01 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $32,200 | $37,930 | $46,210 | $59,630 | $78,560 | $51,370 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $17.15 | $19.21 | $22.77 | $28.84 | $35.50 | $24.59 | 32,060 | 5.78 | 1.50 |
| Annual | $35,680 | $39,950 | $47,360 | $59,990 | $73,840 | $51,150 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $17.41 | $19.88 | $23.04 | $28.63 | $36.07 | $25.04 | 31,700 | 5.20 | 1.35 |
| Annual | $36,220 | $41,360 | $47,920 | $59,540 | $75,030 | $52,070 | ||||
| Michigan | Hourly | $16.46 | $17.48 | $21.39 | $25.62 | $30.77 | $22.63 | 27,980 | 6.35 | 1.65 |
| Annual | $34,240 | $36,360 | $44,490 | $53,290 | $64,010 | $47,070 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Lexington Park, MD | Hourly | $22.85 | $31.56 | $44.23 | $48.87 | $50.09 | $39.29 | 100 | 1.41 | 0.37 |
| Annual | $47,520 | $65,650 | $92,000 | $101,640 | $104,180 | $81,720 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $22.13 | $26.92 | $36.92 | $55.36 | $55.40 | $39.46 | 8,190 | 3.93 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $46,020 | $55,990 | $76,800 | $115,150 | $115,240 | $82,070 | ||||
| Savannah, GA | Hourly | $18.07 | $22.73 | $35.00 | $45.77 | $51.86 | $33.34 | 1,110 | 5.61 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $37,590 | $47,280 | $72,800 | $95,200 | $107,880 | $69,340 | ||||
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | Hourly | $24.31 | $28.29 | $34.59 | $37.83 | $43.05 | $34.37 | 200 | 2.12 | 0.55 |
| Annual | $50,560 | $58,840 | $71,950 | $78,690 | $89,540 | $71,490 | ||||
| Anchorage, AK | Hourly | $21.83 | $30.49 | $34.36 | $42.45 | $48.50 | $35.50 | 80 | 0.47 | 0.12 |
| Annual | $45,400 | $63,420 | $71,470 | $88,290 | $100,870 | $73,850 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $17.49 | $20.01 | $23.19 | $29.01 | $37.18 | $25.41 | 23,080 | 5.11 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $36,370 | $41,620 | $48,230 | $60,340 | $77,320 | $52,850 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $18.50 | $21.50 | $24.79 | $30.76 | $39.52 | $27.78 | 22,610 | 3.61 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $38,470 | $44,720 | $51,560 | $63,980 | $82,200 | $57,790 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $15.64 | $18.40 | $22.42 | $28.87 | $37.06 | $24.68 | 16,520 | 5.02 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $32,540 | $38,270 | $46,630 | $60,060 | $77,090 | $51,340 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $16.13 | $18.46 | $22.21 | $28.50 | $38.94 | $24.90 | 16,440 | 4.06 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $33,560 | $38,390 | $46,210 | $59,280 | $80,990 | $51,790 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $17.57 | $19.77 | $24.12 | $30.15 | $37.74 | $26.33 | 16,370 | 1.73 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $36,550 | $41,120 | $50,160 | $62,720 | $78,510 | $54,770 | ||||
Top industries employing inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
Employment Services employ 6.3% of inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers nationally (37,620 jobs) at a median $36,340 a year ($17.47 an hour), followed by Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5.2%) and Plastics Product Manufacturing (5.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 37,620 | 6.3% | $36,340 | $17.47 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 31,350 | 5.2% | $51,430 | $24.73 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing NAICS 326100 | 29,910 | 5.0% | $45,630 | $21.94 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing NAICS 336400 | 26,120 | 4.4% | $74,450 | $35.79 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing NAICS 336300 | 21,920 | 3.7% | $47,070 | $22.63 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (597,370). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $38,580 for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers in May 2021 and $48,570 in May 2025, with employment of 551,380 and 597,370.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $38,580 | $18.55 | 551,380 |
| May 2022 | $43,900 | $21.11 | 579,740 |
| May 2023 | $45,850 | $22.04 | 584,630 |
| May 2024 | $47,460 | $22.82 | 591,180 |
| May 2025 | $48,570 | $23.35 | 597,370 |
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
51 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 | Alaska profile | $37.57 | $78,150 | $49,500 | $142,430 | 300 | 0.93 | 0.24 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $30.97 | $64,420 | $40,830 | $115,240 | 12,010 | 3.38 | 0.88 |
| 3 | Maryland profile | $29.71 | $61,790 | $37,440 | $99,220 | 4,600 | 1.66 | 0.43 |
| 4 | Hawaii profile | $28.72 | $59,740 | $36,040 | $93,460 | 650 | 1.03 | 0.27 |
| 5 | District of Columbia profile | $28.71 | $59,730 | $41,130 | $91,510 | 70 | 0.11 | 0.03 |
| 6 | Colorado profile | $28.06 | $58,350 | $43,690 | $82,420 | 5,220 | 1.82 | 0.47 |
| 7 | Montana profile | $27.92 | $58,070 | $37,470 | $101,260 | 580 | 1.13 | 0.29 |
| 8 | Wyoming profile | $27.84 | $57,900 | $39,370 | $98,990 | 990 | 3.54 | 0.92 |
| 9 | Delaware profile | $27.50 | $57,190 | $37,570 | $80,650 | 1,020 | 2.11 | 0.55 |
| 10 | Minnesota profile | $27.49 | $57,170 | $42,030 | $76,510 | 9,710 | 3.29 | 0.86 |
| 11 | Connecticut profile | $27.45 | $57,090 | $38,500 | $94,270 | 7,460 | 4.40 | 1.15 |
| 12 | Rhode Island profile | $26.41 | $54,940 | $37,400 | $88,710 | 1,790 | 3.58 | 0.93 |
| 13 | New Hampshire profile | $26.35 | $54,800 | $41,660 | $77,520 | 3,050 | 4.46 | 1.16 |
| 14 | Missouri profile | $26.17 | $54,420 | $36,630 | $78,410 | 12,480 | 4.25 | 1.11 |
| 15 | California profile | $26.11 | $54,300 | $38,750 | $88,210 | 61,130 | 3.36 | 0.87 |
| 16 | Oregon profile | $26.02 | $54,120 | $38,340 | $82,270 | 5,690 | 2.89 | 0.75 |
| 17 | Kansas profile | $25.81 | $53,680 | $37,800 | $80,910 | 9,300 | 6.47 | 1.68 |
| 18 | Maine profile | $25.76 | $53,570 | $34,200 | $79,730 | 1,800 | 2.81 | 0.73 |
| 19 | Massachusetts profile | $25.13 | $52,270 | $38,140 | $76,330 | 10,650 | 2.93 | 0.76 |
| 20 | Arizona profile | $25.05 | $52,100 | $39,210 | $77,720 | 11,120 | 3.43 | 0.89 |
| 21 | Nebraska profile | $24.65 | $51,270 | $39,130 | $66,110 | 3,350 | 3.27 | 0.85 |
| 22 | North Dakota profile | $24.43 | $50,820 | $40,500 | $81,560 | 1,800 | 4.19 | 1.09 |
| 23 | Iowa profile | $24.40 | $50,740 | $39,160 | $71,240 | 7,230 | 4.64 | 1.21 |
| 24 | New York profile | $24.03 | $49,990 | $37,190 | $77,930 | 19,790 | 2.04 | 0.53 |
| 25 | Oklahoma profile | $23.86 | $49,630 | $35,680 | $75,980 | 7,430 | 4.35 | 1.13 |
| 26 | Wisconsin profile | $23.85 | $49,610 | $37,290 | $69,270 | 17,670 | 6.01 | 1.56 |
| 27 | Virginia profile | $23.84 | $49,590 | $36,210 | $76,390 | 9,830 | 2.39 | 0.62 |
| 28 | New Mexico profile | $23.80 | $49,500 | $36,080 | $81,340 | 1,550 | 1.78 | 0.46 |
| 29 | Louisiana profile | $23.80 | $49,490 | $35,220 | $94,450 | 8,110 | 4.19 | 1.09 |
| 30 | Nevada profile | $23.69 | $49,280 | $35,530 | $98,700 | 4,040 | 2.61 | 0.68 |
| 31 | New Jersey profile | $23.62 | $49,140 | $35,740 | $77,330 | 12,280 | 2.87 | 0.75 |
| 32 | Utah profile | $23.52 | $48,910 | $37,640 | $77,930 | 6,630 | 3.82 | 0.99 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania profile | $23.23 | $48,320 | $35,720 | $73,890 | 25,870 | 4.27 | 1.11 |
| 34 | Illinois profile | $23.04 | $47,920 | $36,220 | $75,030 | 31,700 | 5.20 | 1.35 |
| 35 | Indiana profile | $23.03 | $47,900 | $35,590 | $72,860 | 24,790 | 7.74 | 2.02 |
| 36 | Florida profile | $22.86 | $47,540 | $33,040 | $75,550 | 22,630 | 2.28 | 0.59 |
| 37 | Ohio profile | $22.77 | $47,360 | $35,680 | $73,840 | 32,060 | 5.78 | 1.50 |
| 38 | South Dakota profile | $22.71 | $47,240 | $37,930 | $64,070 | 1,090 | 2.38 | 0.62 |
| 39 | West Virginia profile | $22.60 | $47,010 | $30,500 | $80,930 | 2,720 | 3.87 | 1.01 |
| 40 | South Carolina profile | $22.54 | $46,890 | $35,010 | $70,430 | 13,360 | 5.80 | 1.51 |
| 41 | North Carolina profile | $22.32 | $46,430 | $31,590 | $71,770 | 19,700 | 3.99 | 1.04 |
| 42 | Kentucky profile | $22.25 | $46,280 | $34,460 | $66,330 | 12,880 | 6.44 | 1.68 |
| 43 | Texas profile | $22.22 | $46,210 | $32,200 | $78,560 | 56,390 | 4.01 | 1.04 |
| 44 | Vermont profile | $22.22 | $46,210 | $38,500 | $72,740 | 900 | 2.96 | 0.77 |
| 45 | Georgia profile | $22.18 | $46,130 | $33,860 | $71,450 | 19,980 | 4.09 | 1.06 |
| 46 | Tennessee profile | $22.00 | $45,760 | $34,110 | $66,340 | 17,140 | 5.23 | 1.36 |
| 47 | Idaho profile | $21.70 | $45,130 | $34,790 | $83,370 | 2,900 | 3.38 | 0.88 |
| 48 | Arkansas profile | $21.43 | $44,570 | $33,890 | $61,910 | 5,880 | 4.51 | 1.17 |
| 49 | Michigan profile | $21.39 | $44,490 | $34,240 | $64,010 | 27,980 | 6.35 | 1.65 |
| 50 | Mississippi profile | $19.55 | $40,670 | $30,840 | $65,480 | 6,970 | 6.00 | 1.56 |
| 51 | Alabama profile | $19.24 | $40,010 | $28,130 | $63,060 | 13,120 | 6.21 | 1.62 |
Part of Production 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 51-9061 Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers.
- 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 51-9061, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-9061.00, 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.