Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
Grade, sort, or classify unprocessed food and other agricultural products by size, weight, color, or condition.
What it pays
Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products earn a median of $17.18/hr — about $35,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $14.22/hr; the top 10% earn $21.39/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products earn a median of $17.18/hr — about $35,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $14.22/hr; the top 10% earn $21.39/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Place products in containers according to grade and mark grades on containers.
- Weigh products or estimate their weight, visually or by feel.
- Discard inferior or defective products or foreign matter, and place acceptable products in containers for further processing.
- Grade and sort products according to factors such as color, species, length, width, appearance, feel, smell, and quality to ensure correct processing and usage.
- Record grade or identification numbers on tags or on shipping, receiving, or sales sheets.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Less than high school. Overall preparation: little or no preparation (Job Zone 1 of 5).
The feel of the work
Much of the day is spent working solo. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 0% of graders and sorters, agricultural products are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
- Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals
- Agricultural Workers, All Other
- Agricultural Equipment Operators
- Forest and Conservation Workers
- Log Graders and Scalers
Quick questions
- How much does a graders and sorters, agricultural product make?
- The median pay is $17.18 per hour — roughly $35,500 a year, with the real range running from about $14.22/hr (10th percentile) to $21.39/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a graders and sorters, agricultural product?
- The typical entry-level education is: Less than high school. Overall preparation level: little or no preparation (Job Zone 1 of 5).
- What does a graders and sorters, agricultural product actually do all day?
- Place products in containers according to grade and mark grades on containers. Weigh products or estimate their weight, visually or by feel. Discard inferior or defective products or foreign matter, and place acceptable products in containers for further processing.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.