Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products: Job Description
Grade, sort, or classify unprocessed food and other agricultural products by size, weight, color, or condition.
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The Daily Work of Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products Perform?
Typical responsibilities of graders and sorters, agricultural products cover:
- 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.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective graders and sorters, agricultural products combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Agricultural Establishment Grader Inspector
- Agricultural Produce Sorter
- Agriculture Laborer
- Apple Sorter
- Apple Turner
- Asparagus Buncher
- Banana Expert
- Banana Grader
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 120,747 graders and sorters, agricultural products working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +10.3% over the projection horizon.
Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $45,998 |
| Hourly median | $22.11 |
| 10th percentile | $29,209 |
| 25th percentile | $37,604 |
| 75th percentile | $54,393 |
| 90th percentile | $62,788 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| North Dakota | $46,290 |
| Kansas | $46,120 |
| Maine | $45,660 |
| Nebraska | $45,000 |
| Utah | $42,660 |
| Iowa | $41,570 |
| Wisconsin | $40,470 |
| South Dakota | $39,730 |
| Missouri | $39,280 |
| Illinois | $38,980 |
| Ohio | $38,810 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,680 |
| Virginia | $37,450 |
| California | $36,190 |
| Louisiana | $36,190 |
| New Jersey | $36,090 |
| West Virginia | $36,060 |
| Tennessee | $35,990 |
| Maryland | $35,650 |
| Georgia | $35,480 |
| Texas | $35,480 |
| Oregon | $35,200 |
| Kentucky | $35,090 |
| Alabama | $35,080 |
| Washington | $34,860 |
| Oklahoma | $34,790 |
| Arkansas | $34,040 |
| North Carolina | $34,040 |
| South Carolina | $32,990 |
| Colorado | $32,260 |
| Michigan | $32,160 |
| Mississippi | $31,660 |
| Florida | $30,780 |
| New Mexico | $29,760 |
| Idaho | $27,620 |
Where Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products Earn the Most
Earnings for graders and sorters, agricultural products differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains States | $41,808 | 6.0% | 2.42 |
| Middle Atlantic | $37,790 | 4.3% | 0.72 |
| Great Lakes | $36,920 | 1.7% | 0.20 |
| Far Western US | $35,690 | 44.5% | 3.49 |
| Southwest | $35,107 | 8.9% | 0.79 |
| Southeast | $34,044 | 30.7% | 3.13 |
| Rocky Mountains | $30,444 | 3.8% | 2.92 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $46,560 | 130 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | SD | $42,710 | 30 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $41,320 | 300 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $41,120 | 410 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | LA | $39,560 | 50 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $38,990 | |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $38,980 | |
| Toledo, OH | OH | $38,810 | 60 |
Top Industries Employing Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
The bulk of graders and sorters, agricultural products work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10,710 | $34,840 |
| Manufacturing | 10,150 | $35,320 |
| Wholesale Trade | 3,320 | $37,890 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 630 | $35,970 |
| Retail Trade | 240 | $35,290 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 220 | $41,590 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for graders and sorters, agricultural products is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Standing
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
- Physical Proximity
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level graders and sorters, agricultural products positions require less than a high school diploma as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Food Science Technicians (Supplemental)
- Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping (Primary-Long)
- Agricultural Inspectors (Supplemental)
- Agricultural Equipment Operators (Supplemental)
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse (Primary-Long)
- Log Graders and Scalers (Supplemental)
- Bakers (Supplemental)
- Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers (Primary-Short)
Sources
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 45-2041.00 (Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products).
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