Graders and sorters, agricultural products
May 2005 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers
Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products: Grade, sort, or classify unprocessed food and other agricultural products by size, weight, color, or condition.
Agricultural workers held about 834,000 jobs in 2004. Of these, farmworkers were the most numerous, holding about 690,000 jobs. Graders and sorters held about 45,000 jobs, agricultural inspectors 14,000 jobs, agricultural equipment operators 60,000 jobs, and animal breeders 12,000 jobs. More than 66 percent of all agricultural workers worked for crop and livestock producers, while more than 5 percent worked for agricultural service providers, mostly farm labor contractors.
Median hourly earnings in May 2004 for each of the occupations found in this statement are as follows:
| Agricultural inspectors | $14.92 |
| Animal breeders | 13.55 |
| Agricultural workers, all other | 10.15 |
| Agricultural equipment operators | 8.88 |
| Farmworkers, farm and ranch animals | 8.31 |
| Graders and sorters, agricultural products | 7.90 |
| Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse | 7.70 |
Few agricultural workers are members of unions.
(from the Occupational Outlook Handbook: Agricultural Workers)
See more recent statistics for employed workers below.
May 2005 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers
National Occupational Employment and Earnings by Industry (NAICS sector and 3-digit industry group)
| Graders and sorters, agricultural products | |||||
| Percentile earnings distribution | |||||
| 10th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 90th | |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting employment: 15,240 mean earnings: $16,470 (def) (IG) | $13,100 | $14,460 | $16,310 | $17,940 | $20,890 |
| Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry employment: 15,240 mean earnings: $16,470 | $13,100 | $14,460 | $16,310 | $17,930 | $20,880 |
| Manufacturing employment: 7,830 mean earnings: $19,200 (EC) (def) (IG) | $14,210 | $15,820 | $18,060 | $21,790 | $26,090 |
| Food Manufacturing employment: 7,700 mean earnings: $19,120 | $14,190 | $15,800 | $18,010 | $21,730 | $25,950 |
| Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing employment: 50 mean earnings: $22,840 | $15,540 | $16,910 | $19,080 | $22,040 | $28,300 |
| Wholesale Trade employment: 10,630 mean earnings: $18,530 (EC) (def) (IG) | $12,900 | $14,670 | $16,800 | $20,400 | $27,360 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods employment: 10,380 mean earnings: $18,460 | $12,900 | $14,670 | $16,770 | $20,280 | $27,190 |
| Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers employment: 230 mean earnings: $20,680 | $13,080 | $14,540 | $19,130 | $22,410 | $34,310 |
| Retail Trade employment: 6,840 mean earnings: $20,610 (EC) (def) (IG) | $13,630 | $15,290 | $18,000 | $22,840 | $31,570 |
| Food and Beverage Stores employment: 6,720 mean earnings: $20,600 | $13,610 | $15,260 | $17,980 | $22,850 | $31,540 |
| General Merchandise Stores employment: 50 mean earnings: $24,440 | $15,590 | $16,950 | $20,330 | $29,870 | $42,690 |
| Transportation and Warehousing employment: 700 mean earnings: $22,190 (EC) (def) (IG) | $13,440 | $15,220 | $17,670 | $28,860 | $37,420 |
| Warehousing and Storage employment: n.a. mean earnings: $22,190 | $13,460 | $15,260 | $17,680 | $28,910 | $37,110 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services employment: 100 mean earnings: $27,930 (EC) (def) (IG) | $16,400 | $19,160 | $25,940 | $33,990 | $43,030 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services employment: 100 mean earnings: $27,930 | $16,400 | $19,160 | $25,940 | $33,990 | $43,030 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services employment: 3,190 mean earnings: $15,100 (EC) (def) (IG) | $13,050 | $13,460 | $14,140 | $15,660 | $18,240 |
| Administrative and Support Services employment: 3,190 mean earnings: $15,100 | $13,050 | $13,460 | $14,140 | $15,660 | $18,240 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation) employment: 300 mean earnings: $29,020 (def) (IG) | $16,170 | $20,440 | $27,490 | $36,470 | $43,610 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation) employment: 300 mean earnings: $29,020 | $16,170 | $20,440 | $27,490 | $36,470 | $43,610 |
source: Occupational Employment Statistics Program; about these estimates
The (EC) links lead to data from the Economic Census from the Census Bureau.
The (def) links lead to 2002 NAICS industry definitions from the Census Bureau.
The (IG) links lead to Industry at a Glance industry profiles from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.