Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for graders and sorters, agricultural productss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Mississippi$25,090
- Florida$29,490
- New Mexico$30,710
- Idaho$31,890
- Wisconsin$34,310
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska | $47,830 | $45,560 | $23 | +31.3% | 330 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $47,490 | $47,540 | $23 | +30.4% | 30 |
| 3 | Maryland | $47,350 | $41,740 | $23 | +30% | 430 |
| 4 | Iowa | $46,550 | $42,450 | $22 | +27.8% | 170 |
| 5 | Colorado | $45,110 | $48,740 | $22 | +23.8% | 230 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $45,020 | $45,590 | $22 | +23.6% | 260 |
| 7 | Maine | $44,010 | $45,810 | $21 | +20.8% | 40 |
| 8 | Michigan | $42,990 | $39,180 | $21 | +18% | 100 |
| 9 | Illinois | $42,760 | $41,670 | $21 | +17.4% | 220 |
| 10 | Utah | $42,370 | $42,710 | $20 | +16.3% | 100 |
| 11 | South Dakota | $41,090 | $39,900 | $20 | +12.8% | 380 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $39,240 | $38,430 | $19 | +7.7% | 970 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $38,880 | $41,770 | $19 | +6.7% | 40 |
| 14 | Kansas | $37,980 | $38,170 | $18 | +4.3% | 160 |
| 15 | Tennessee | $37,670 | $36,880 | $18 | +3.4% | 640 |
| 16 | California | $37,350 | $36,330 | $18 | +2.5% | 5,750 |
| 17 | Missouri | $37,300 | $35,800 | $18 | +2.4% | 530 |
| 18 | Virginia | $37,270 | $34,860 | $18 | +2.3% | 230 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $37,210 | $37,880 | $18 | +2.1% | — |
| 20 | Texas | $36,440 | $36,090 | $18 | +0% | 1,950 |
| 21 | Washington | $36,230 | $34,950 | $17 | -0.5% | 2,830 |
| 22 | Ohio | $36,090 | $38,500 | $17 | -0.9% | 100 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | $35,920 | $34,700 | $17 | -1.4% | 260 |
| 24 | Arkansas | $35,580 | $35,310 | $17 | -2.3% | 1,650 |
| 25 | Georgia | $35,470 | $35,450 | $17 | -2.6% | 1,700 |
| 26 | Louisiana | $35,400 | $36,090 | $17 | -2.8% | 280 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $35,290 | $37,300 | $17 | -3.1% | 160 |
| 28 | Arizona | $35,200 | $31,700 | $17 | -3.4% | 170 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $35,120 | $34,510 | $17 | -3.6% | 230 |
| 30 | Oregon | $35,060 | $34,660 | $17 | -3.8% | 730 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $34,740 | $34,720 | $17 | -4.6% | 450 |
| 32 | Alabama | $34,350 | $35,390 | $17 | -5.7% | 840 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $34,310 | $33,250 | $17 | -5.8% | 110 |
| 34 | Idaho | $31,890 | $27,680 | $15 | -12.5% | 600 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $30,710 | $30,480 | $15 | -15.7% | 90 |
| 36 | Florida | $29,490 | $27,470 | $14 | -19.1% | 880 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $25,090 | $30,140 | $12 | -31.1% | 1,140 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 71 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $62,930 | $57,570 | 70 |
| 2 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $55,600 | $47,550 | 50 |
| 3 | Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $48,740 | $43,410 | 120 |
| 4 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $48,700 | $49,200 | 40 |
| 5 | Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $46,410 | $43,370 | 80 |
| 6 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $46,350 | $47,040 | 80 |
| 7 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $44,510 | $41,870 | 210 |
| 8 | Fargo, ND-MN | $44,370 | $43,970 | 40 |
| 9 | Omaha, NE-IA | $43,430 | $43,000 | 120 |
| 10 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $42,670 | $41,410 | 150 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing graders and sorters, agricultural productss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Testing Laboratories and Services | $44,920 | $48,660 | 70 |
| 2 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $43,430 | $43,680 | 390 |
| 3 | Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $43,430 | $45,910 | 90 |
| 4 | Sector 54 - Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $43,430 | $43,680 | 390 |
| 5 | State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $43,240 | $43,640 | 160 |
| 6 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $43,240 | $43,730 | 160 |
| 7 | Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $43,080 | $43,010 | 300 |
| 8 | Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers | $39,170 | $41,120 | 850 |
| 9 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) | $38,840 | $43,040 | 110 |
| 10 | Temporary Help Services | $38,030 | $39,850 | 130 |
| 11 | Administrative and Support Services | $37,880 | $38,710 | 250 |
| 12 | Employment Services | $37,880 | $38,710 | 250 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Top Skills
Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do graders and sorters, agricultural products make in the U.S.?
The median graders and sorters, agricultural products salary in the United States is $35,730 per year (mean $36,430), and about 80% earn between $29,580 and $44,490.
How much do graders and sorters, agricultural products make per hour?
Roughly $18 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $36,430 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays graders and sorters, agricultural products the most?
Nebraska has the highest average pay for graders and sorters, agricultural products at $47,830 per year (median $45,560).
What is the job outlook for graders and sorters, agricultural products?
Employment is projected to change -5.4% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 5,100 openings per year.