Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products Salary: $35,430 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 26,870 graders and sorters, agricultural products work nationally, and $35,430 is the BLS national median annual wage. Employment in the series shown rose about 32% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 1.3% annual decline.
Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products: what the data shows
Common questions about graders and sorters, agricultural products careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a graders and sorters, agricultural products?
Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 45-2041.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 26,870 workers.
What does a graders and sorters, agricultural products do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Handling and Moving Objects, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Getting Information, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings, Performing General Physical Activities, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a graders and sorters, agricultural products make?
BLS national median annual wage: $35,430 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $38,386 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,258 |
| 25th percentile | $35,164 |
| Median (50th) | $37,254 |
| 75th percentile | $39,745 |
| 90th percentile | $43,965 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Monitoring, Speaking, Active Listening, Coordination, Critical Thinking, Writing, and knowledge areas including Production and Processing, English Language, Mechanical, Food Production. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is graders and sorters, agricultural products in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 1.3% annual decline (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: -6.3%.
Ten-year projected employment change: -12.3%.
Current U.S. headcount: 26,870.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do graders and sorters, agricultural productss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 26,870 | 20.6% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 25,680 | 19.7% |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10,710 | 8.2% |
| Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry | 10,710 | 8.2% |
| Support Activities for Crop Production | 10,690 | 8.2% |
| Manufacturing | 10,150 | 7.8% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Food Batchmakers | 171,660 | $40,790 |
| Food Preparation Workers | 888,770 | $34,220 |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | 19,500 | $42,730 |
| Food Scientists and Technologists | 14,370 | $85,310 |
| Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders | 27,660 | $40,550 |
| Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians | 36,880 | $52,080 |
| Agricultural Equipment Operators | 30,940 | $42,580 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products workforce.
Employment Over Time
26,870 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products shrank from 32,920 in 2009 to 26,700 in 2025 (18.9%).
Historical employment for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$35,430 Median pay (BLS national)
Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products earn $35,430 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
Salary distribution for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
Employment Growth Projections
-1.3% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
25,008 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -6.3%
23,424 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -12.3%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
Wage Trends by Industry
20.2% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 6,920 employees, $37,290 avg wage
- WA: 3,780 employees, $35,950 avg wage
- TX: 1,920 employees, $35,630 avg wage
- GA: 1,780 employees, $35,450 avg wage
- AR: 1,430 employees, $34,330 avg wage
- MS: 1,320 employees, $26,760 avg wage
- AL: 770 employees, $34,280 avg wage
- PA: 770 employees, $40,590 avg wage
- NC: 720 employees, $32,890 avg wage
- FL: 660 employees, $32,390 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Yakima, WA: 1,810 employees, $35,200 avg wage
- Fresno, CA: 950 employees, $35,820 avg wage
- Bakersfield-Delano, CA: 900 employees, $36,090 avg wage
- Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA: 710 employees, $35,570 avg wage
- Salinas, CA: 650 employees, $36,710 avg wage
- Jackson, MS: 640 employees, $27,730 avg wage
- Stockton-Lodi, CA: 610 employees, $35,250 avg wage
- Visalia, CA: 600 employees, $35,630 avg wage
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA: 550 employees, $38,100 avg wage
- Kennewick-Richland, WA: 540 employees, $36,650 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
Diversity
Demographic information on Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products is about 26,870 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products in 2023 were Business Administration, Business, Social Sciences.
Common majors for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products workers.
Education level distribution for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
Skills
Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products need many skills, but most especially Monitoring, Speaking, Active Listening, Coordination, Critical Thinking.
Required skills for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products include Production and Processing, English Language, Mechanical, Food Production, Education and Training.
Knowledge areas required for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products include Near Vision, Manual Dexterity, Category Flexibility, Finger Dexterity, Oral Comprehension.
Required abilities for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
Daily Activities
Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products spend their time on activities such as Handling and Moving Objects, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Getting Information, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings.
Most important work activities for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
About
Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products earn $35,430 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
45-2041 - Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products reports an average salary of $38,386.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 26,870 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -1.3%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.