SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Grade, sort, or classify unprocessed food and other agricultural products by size, weight, color, or condition. Excludes “Agricultural Inspectors” (45-2011).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 45-2041.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $29,580 | $2,465 | $569 | $14.22 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $34,320 | $2,860 | $660 | $16.50 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $35,730 | $2,978 | $687 | $17.18 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $38,260 | $3,188 | $736 | $18.39 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $44,490 | $3,708 | $856 | $21.39 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products is $35,730, which is 30% lower. Among the 13 occupations of the field Farming, Fishing, and Forestry, it ranks number 12 by median pay. With 25,180 jobs, it makes up about 1.6 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products pay by state
The highest median pay was in Colorado ($48,740), Minnesota ($47,540) and Maine ($45,810). The lowest was in Florida ($27,470), Idaho ($27,680) and Mississippi ($30,140). The most jobs were in California (5,750), Washington (2,830) and Texas (1,950). The occupation is most concentrated in Arkansas, where its share of all jobs is 7.8 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 230 | $48,740 | $45,110 | $23.43 |
| Minnesota | 30 | $47,540 | $47,490 | $22.86 |
| Maine | 40 | $45,810 | $44,010 | $22.03 |
| North Dakota | 260 | $45,590 | $45,020 | $21.92 |
| Nebraska | 330 | $45,560 | $47,830 | $21.90 |
| Utah | 100 | $42,710 | $42,370 | $20.53 |
| Iowa | 170 | $42,450 | $46,550 | $20.41 |
| Massachusetts | 40 | $41,770 | $38,880 | $20.08 |
| Maryland | 430 | $41,740 | $47,350 | $20.07 |
| Illinois | 220 | $41,670 | $42,760 | $20.03 |
| South Dakota | 380 | $39,900 | $41,090 | $19.18 |
| Michigan | 100 | $39,180 | $42,990 | $18.84 |
| Ohio | 100 | $38,500 | $36,090 | $18.51 |
| Pennsylvania | 970 | $38,430 | $39,240 | $18.48 |
| Kansas | 160 | $38,170 | $37,980 | $18.35 |
| New Jersey | not published | $37,880 | $37,210 | $18.21 |
| Kentucky | 160 | $37,300 | $35,290 | $17.94 |
| Tennessee | 640 | $36,880 | $37,670 | $17.73 |
| California | 5,750 | $36,330 | $37,350 | $17.47 |
| Louisiana | 280 | $36,090 | $35,400 | $17.35 |
| Texas | 1,950 | $36,090 | $36,440 | $17.35 |
| Missouri | 530 | $35,800 | $37,300 | $17.21 |
| Georgia | 1,700 | $35,450 | $35,470 | $17.04 |
| Alabama | 840 | $35,390 | $34,350 | $17.02 |
| Arkansas | 1,650 | $35,310 | $35,580 | $16.98 |
| Washington | 2,830 | $34,950 | $36,230 | $16.80 |
| Virginia | 230 | $34,860 | $37,270 | $16.76 |
| North Carolina | 450 | $34,720 | $34,740 | $16.69 |
| Oklahoma | 260 | $34,700 | $35,920 | $16.68 |
| Oregon | 730 | $34,660 | $35,060 | $16.66 |
| South Carolina | 230 | $34,510 | $35,120 | $16.59 |
| Wisconsin | 110 | $33,250 | $34,310 | $15.99 |
| Arizona | 170 | $31,700 | $35,200 | $15.24 |
| New Mexico | 90 | $30,480 | $30,710 | $14.65 |
| Mississippi | 1,140 | $30,140 | $25,090 | $14.49 |
| Idaho | 600 | $27,680 | $31,890 | $13.31 |
| Florida | 880 | $27,470 | $29,490 | $13.21 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Agricultural Equipment Operators$41,730 a year
- Agricultural Workers, All Other$39,850 a year
- Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$36,670 a year
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$35,660 a year
Common questions
How much do Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products earn in the United States?
The median pay was $35,730 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $29,580 and the highest-paid 10% more than $44,490.
How many people work as Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products?
About 25,180 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.