Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers is $48,570, or $23.35 per hour. About 597,370 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $78,150 in Alaska to $40,010 in Alabama.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $78,150 | $37.57 | 300 | 0.24 |
| 2 | Washington | $64,420 | $30.97 | 12,010 | 0.88 |
| 3 | Maryland | $61,790 | $29.71 | 4,600 | 0.43 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $59,740 | $28.72 | 650 | 0.27 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $59,730 | $28.71 | 70 | 0.03 |
| 6 | Colorado | $58,350 | $28.06 | 5,220 | 0.47 |
| 7 | Montana | $58,070 | $27.92 | 580 | 0.29 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $57,900 | $27.84 | 990 | 0.92 |
| 9 | Delaware | $57,190 | $27.50 | 1,020 | 0.55 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $57,170 | $27.49 | 9,710 | 0.86 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $57,090 | $27.45 | 7,460 | 1.15 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $54,940 | $26.41 | 1,790 | 0.93 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $54,800 | $26.35 | 3,050 | 1.16 |
| 14 | Missouri | $54,420 | $26.17 | 12,480 | 1.11 |
| 15 | California | $54,300 | $26.11 | 61,130 | 0.87 |
| 16 | Oregon | $54,120 | $26.02 | 5,690 | 0.75 |
| 17 | Kansas | $53,680 | $25.81 | 9,300 | 1.68 |
| 18 | Maine | $53,570 | $25.76 | 1,800 | 0.73 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $52,270 | $25.13 | 10,650 | 0.76 |
| 20 | Arizona | $52,100 | $25.05 | 11,120 | 0.89 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $51,270 | $24.65 | 3,350 | 0.85 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $50,820 | $24.43 | 1,800 | 1.09 |
| 23 | Iowa | $50,740 | $24.40 | 7,230 | 1.21 |
| 24 | New York | $49,990 | $24.03 | 19,790 | 0.53 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $49,630 | $23.86 | 7,430 | 1.13 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $49,610 | $23.85 | 17,670 | 1.56 |
| 27 | Virginia | $49,590 | $23.84 | 9,830 | 0.62 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $49,500 | $23.80 | 1,550 | 0.46 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $49,490 | $23.80 | 8,110 | 1.09 |
| 30 | Nevada | $49,280 | $23.69 | 4,040 | 0.68 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $49,140 | $23.62 | 12,280 | 0.75 |
| 32 | Utah | $48,910 | $23.52 | 6,630 | 0.99 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $48,320 | $23.23 | 25,870 | 1.11 |
| 34 | Illinois | $47,920 | $23.04 | 31,700 | 1.35 |
| 35 | Indiana | $47,900 | $23.03 | 24,790 | 2.02 |
| 36 | Florida | $47,540 | $22.86 | 22,630 | 0.59 |
| 37 | Ohio | $47,360 | $22.77 | 32,060 | 1.50 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $47,240 | $22.71 | 1,090 | 0.62 |
| 39 | West Virginia | $47,010 | $22.60 | 2,720 | 1.01 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $46,890 | $22.54 | 13,360 | 1.51 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $46,430 | $22.32 | 19,700 | 1.04 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $46,280 | $22.25 | 12,880 | 1.68 |
| 43 | Vermont | $46,210 | $22.22 | 900 | 0.77 |
| 44 | Texas | $46,210 | $22.22 | 56,390 | 1.04 |
| 45 | Georgia | $46,130 | $22.18 | 19,980 | 1.06 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $45,760 | $22.00 | 17,140 | 1.36 |
| 47 | Idaho | $45,130 | $21.70 | 2,900 | 0.88 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $44,570 | $21.43 | 5,880 | 1.17 |
| 49 | Michigan | $44,490 | $21.39 | 27,980 | 1.65 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $40,670 | $19.55 | 6,970 | 1.56 |
| 51 | Alabama | $40,010 | $19.24 | 13,120 | 1.62 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers make?
The median annual wage for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers in the United States is $48,570, or $23.35 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $35,510, and the top 10% earn $77,860.
How many inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers are employed in the U.S.?
About 597,370 people work as inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers nationwide.
Which state pays inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers the most?
Alaska pays the most at a median of $78,150, followed by Washington ($64,420) and Maryland ($61,790).
Which state pays inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers the least?
Alabama has the lowest median at $40,010.
Where are inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Indiana at 2.02×.