SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Inspect, test, sort, sample, or weigh nonagricultural raw materials or processed, machined, fabricated, or assembled parts or products for defects, wear, and deviations from specifications. May use precision measuring instruments and complex test equipment.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 51-9061.
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 | $35,510 | $2,959 | $683 | $17.07 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $39,890 | $3,324 | $767 | $19.18 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $48,570 | $4,048 | $934 | $23.35 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $61,440 | $5,120 | $1,182 | $29.54 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $77,860 | $6,488 | $1,497 | $37.44 |
* 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 Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers is $48,570, which is 5% lower. Among the 105 occupations of the field Production, it ranks number 44 by median pay. With 597,370 jobs, it makes up about 38 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($53,450) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers pay by state
The highest median pay was in Alaska ($78,150), Washington ($64,420) and Maryland ($61,790). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($29,870), Alabama ($40,010) and Mississippi ($40,670). The most jobs were in California (61,130), Texas (56,390) and Ohio (32,060). The occupation is most concentrated in Indiana, where its share of all jobs is 2.0 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 300 | $78,150 | $90,540 | $37.57 |
| Washington | 12,010 | $64,420 | $74,600 | $30.97 |
| Maryland | 4,600 | $61,790 | $65,920 | $29.71 |
| Hawaii | 650 | $59,740 | $61,150 | $28.72 |
| District of Columbia | 70 | $59,730 | $63,660 | $28.71 |
| Colorado | 5,220 | $58,350 | $60,840 | $28.06 |
| Montana | 580 | $58,070 | $63,230 | $27.92 |
| Wyoming | 990 | $57,900 | $61,910 | $27.84 |
| Delaware | 1,020 | $57,190 | $56,840 | $27.50 |
| Minnesota | 9,710 | $57,170 | $57,480 | $27.49 |
| Connecticut | 7,460 | $57,090 | $61,380 | $27.45 |
| Rhode Island | 1,790 | $54,940 | $60,120 | $26.41 |
| New Hampshire | 3,050 | $54,800 | $57,570 | $26.35 |
| Missouri | 12,480 | $54,420 | $57,510 | $26.17 |
| California | 61,130 | $54,300 | $59,540 | $26.11 |
| Oregon | 5,690 | $54,120 | $58,070 | $26.02 |
| Kansas | 9,300 | $53,680 | $57,550 | $25.81 |
| Maine | 1,800 | $53,570 | $56,060 | $25.76 |
| Massachusetts | 10,650 | $52,270 | $56,530 | $25.13 |
| Arizona | 11,120 | $52,100 | $57,660 | $25.05 |
| Nebraska | 3,350 | $51,270 | $53,230 | $24.65 |
| North Dakota | 1,800 | $50,820 | $58,190 | $24.43 |
| Iowa | 7,230 | $50,740 | $53,950 | $24.40 |
| New York | 19,790 | $49,990 | $54,660 | $24.03 |
| Oklahoma | 7,430 | $49,630 | $53,950 | $23.86 |
| Wisconsin | 17,670 | $49,610 | $52,580 | $23.85 |
| Virginia | 9,830 | $49,590 | $53,310 | $23.84 |
| New Mexico | 1,550 | $49,500 | $56,000 | $23.80 |
| Louisiana | 8,110 | $49,490 | $57,380 | $23.80 |
| Nevada | 4,040 | $49,280 | $59,840 | $23.69 |
| New Jersey | 12,280 | $49,140 | $53,490 | $23.62 |
| Utah | 6,630 | $48,910 | $54,210 | $23.52 |
| Pennsylvania | 25,870 | $48,320 | $52,040 | $23.23 |
| Illinois | 31,700 | $47,920 | $52,070 | $23.04 |
| Indiana | 24,790 | $47,900 | $50,850 | $23.03 |
| Florida | 22,630 | $47,540 | $50,980 | $22.86 |
| Ohio | 32,060 | $47,360 | $51,150 | $22.77 |
| South Dakota | 1,090 | $47,240 | $49,990 | $22.71 |
| Virgin Islands | 30 | $47,240 | $52,870 | $22.71 |
| West Virginia | 2,720 | $47,010 | $52,240 | $22.60 |
| South Carolina | 13,360 | $46,890 | $49,760 | $22.54 |
| North Carolina | 19,700 | $46,430 | $48,600 | $22.32 |
| Kentucky | 12,880 | $46,280 | $48,720 | $22.25 |
| Texas | 56,390 | $46,210 | $51,370 | $22.22 |
| Vermont | 900 | $46,210 | $51,090 | $22.22 |
| Georgia | 19,980 | $46,130 | $49,790 | $22.18 |
| Tennessee | 17,140 | $45,760 | $48,390 | $22.00 |
| Idaho | 2,900 | $45,130 | $52,120 | $21.70 |
| Arkansas | 5,880 | $44,570 | $46,380 | $21.43 |
| Michigan | 27,980 | $44,490 | $47,070 | $21.39 |
| Guam | 50 | $44,160 | $44,540 | $21.23 |
| Mississippi | 6,970 | $40,670 | $45,540 | $19.55 |
| Alabama | 13,120 | $40,010 | $44,280 | $19.24 |
| Puerto Rico | 3,870 | $29,870 | $39,930 | $14.36 |
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
- Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,990 a year
- Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,750 a year
- Prepress Technicians and Workers$48,690 a year
- Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,540 a year
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,250 a year
- Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$48,220 a year
Common questions
How much do Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $48,570 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,510 and the highest-paid 10% more than $77,860.
How many people work as Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers?
About 597,370 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.