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Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products

Typical education: High school diplomaLower pressure

What they do

Grade, sort, or classify unprocessed food and other agricultural products by size, weight, color, or condition.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $35,730 Median per year · $17.18/hr Most earn $29,580–$44,490

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • 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.
  • Place products in containers according to grade and mark grades on containers.
  • Record grade or identification numbers on tags or on shipping, receiving, or sales sheets.
  • Weigh products or estimate their weight, visually or by feel.
  • Place products in containers according to grade and mark grades on containers.

Job outlook

United States
3% fewer jobs by 2035, declining · about 5,800 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Crop production51.6%
  • Animal slaughtering and processing20.2%
  • Support activities for agriculture and forestry5.4%
  • Animal production and aquaculture5.2%
  • Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods3.7%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: Up to 1 month

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: Up to 1 monthEntry-level

This is an entry-level job. Most people start with a high school diploma and learn the work on the job in about a month or less, so you can start right after school or training.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    A diploma is the usual minimum, and classes in math, science, and any agriculture or shop courses help you understand what you're sorting and how it's measured.

  2. Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products

    Up to 1 month of on-the-job training

    You learn to check produce or other farm products by size, weight, color, and condition, using the company's grading standards and equipment. Most of the learning happens on the job.

Where it can lead

  1. Lead Sorter

    2-4 years of experience first

    You train new sorters, keep the line moving, and check that grading standards are followed, which takes a good eye and reliable work habits.

  2. Quality Control Inspector

    3-5 years of experience first

    You inspect samples more closely, record results, and decide whether products meet standards, so you'll need strong attention to detail and some training in the company's quality rules.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and science classesMeasuring weight and size and noticing differences in color and quality use the same skills you practice in math and biology.
  • Join an FFA or agriculture clubAgriculture clubs teach you about crops, produce, and farm work, and they often run hands-on projects that look good on a job application.
  • Get a summer job on a farm or at a farm standWorking with fresh produce teaches you how it's sorted, checked, and handled, and it shows employers you can work in the field.
  • Take a food safety or shop class if your school offers oneKnowing how to handle food safely and follow rules shows you can meet the standards this job expects.

In college

  • Take courses in plant biology or agricultureKnowing how fruits and vegetables grow and spoil helps you recognize quality problems quickly.
  • Work a campus job in a dining hall or food labFood handling and quality checks there give you practice with the standards and pace of a sorting job.
  • Get a summer job at a packing house or distribution centerHands-on sorting experience is the most direct way to show an employer you're ready for this work.
  • Consider a food safety certificationShort food safety courses are offered in many towns and show employers you understand handling rules, which helps when you apply.

Tips for getting started

  • Look for summer or part-time work at a farm, packing house, or grocery distribution center. Even a few weeks of hands-on sorting shows employers you can handle the pace and the details.
  • Practice noticing small differences, like color shades, size, and bruising. Good observation is the main skill this job needs, and you can build it anywhere.
  • Ask about the company's grading standards on your first day and write them down. Understanding the rules early helps you move up faster.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

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