Log Graders and Scalers: Career Overview
Grade logs or estimate the marketable content or value of logs or pulpwood in sorting yards, millpond, log deck, or similar locations. Inspect logs for defects or measure logs to determine volume.
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What Do Log Graders and Scalers Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of log graders and scalers include:
- Evaluate log characteristics and determine grades, using established criteria.
- Record data about individual trees or load volumes into tally books or hand-held collection terminals.
- Measure felled logs or loads of pulpwood to calculate volume, weight, dimensions, and marketable value, using measuring devices and conversion tables.
- Paint identification marks of specified colors on logs to identify grades or species, using spray cans, or call out grades to log markers.
- Jab logs with metal ends of scale sticks, and inspect logs to ascertain characteristics or defects such as water damage, splits, knots, broken ends, rotten areas, twists, and curves.
- Identify logs of substandard or special grade so that they can be returned to shippers, regraded, recut, or transferred for other processing.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful log graders and scalers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills that matter most in 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:
- Check Scaler
- Compounding Scaler
- Deck Scaler
- Deck Specialist
- Decker
- Deckman
- Landing Scaler
- Log Buyer
Job Outlook
There are roughly 19,825 log graders and scalers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +4.2% over the projection horizon.
Log Graders and Scalers Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $29,938 |
| Hourly median | $14.39 |
| 10th percentile | $20,000 |
| 25th percentile | $24,774 |
| 75th percentile | $35,102 |
| 90th percentile | $40,266 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Log Graders and Scalers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $62,860 |
| Idaho | $62,000 |
| Washington | $59,670 |
| California | $56,570 |
| Maine | $51,650 |
| Michigan | $50,620 |
| Wisconsin | $50,040 |
| South Carolina | $49,990 |
| West Virginia | $47,570 |
| Kentucky | $47,160 |
| Louisiana | $47,140 |
| North Carolina | $46,870 |
| Indiana | $46,300 |
| Alabama | $44,800 |
| Mississippi | $43,970 |
| Ohio | $43,680 |
| Georgia | $43,510 |
| New York | $42,850 |
| Arkansas | $42,360 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,900 |
| Florida | $38,710 |
| Virginia | $34,720 |
| Tennessee | $29,120 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for log graders and scalers vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mountains | $62,000 | 2.3% | 3.66 |
| Far Western US | $58,748 | 25.6% | 2.16 |
| New England | $51,650 | 2.6% | 6.00 |
| Great Lakes | $47,731 | 11.7% | 1.23 |
| Southeast | $44,512 | 45.8% | 5.01 |
| Middle Atlantic | $39,220 | 12.0% | 2.44 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Log Graders and Scalers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $61,240 | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | AL | $46,540 | 40 |
Industry Breakdown
Most log graders and scalers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,800 | $45,130 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 240 | $61,920 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 120 | $53,900 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 60 | $60,070 |
| Wholesale Trade | 30 | $42,500 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Log Graders and Scalers Use
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (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)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for log graders and scalers is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Freedom to Make Decisions
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level log graders and scalers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks (Primary-Long)
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks (Supplemental)
- Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping (Primary-Short)
- Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products (Primary-Short)
- Fallers (Supplemental)
- Logging Equipment Operators (Primary-Short)
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers (Supplemental)
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from 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: 45-4023.00 (Log Graders and Scalers).
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