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Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping

Typical education: High school diplomaModerate pressure

What they do

Weigh, measure, and check materials, supplies, and equipment for the purpose of keeping relevant records. Duties are primarily clerical by nature. Includes workers who collect and keep record of samples of products or materials.

Kinds of work

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

Moderate 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 $46,380 Median per year · $22.30/hr Most earn $35,290–$60,910

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Compare product labels, tags, or tickets, shipping manifests, purchase orders, and bills of lading to verify accuracy of shipment contents, quality specifications, or weights.
  • Operate scalehouse computers to obtain weight information about incoming shipments such as those from waste haulers.
  • Signal or instruct other workers to weigh, move, or check products.
  • Weigh or measure materials, equipment, or products to maintain relevant records, using volume meters, scales, rules, or calipers.
  • Collect product samples and prepare them for laboratory analysis or testing.
  • Count or estimate quantities of materials, parts, or products received or shipped.

Job outlook

United States
5% fewer jobs by 2035, declining · about 4,700 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

  • Warehousing and storage25.3%
  • Other support services6.9%
  • Grocery and specialty food retailers6.0%
  • Merchant wholesalers, durable goods5.6%
  • Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods5.2%

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

Experience before this job: 1 to 3 months

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: 1 to 3 monthsEntry-level

This is an entry-level job. Most people start with a high school diploma and learn the work on the job, usually in about 1 to 3 months.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Build basic math, reading, and computer skills, which you use every day to measure, weigh, and log results accurately.

  2. Weigher

    1-3 months of on-the-job training

    You start by weighing, measuring, and checking materials while a supervisor shows you the equipment and record-keeping routine. Doing this well and accurately is what leads to the full role.

Where it can lead

  1. Production Planning Clerk

    1-3 years of experience first

    You move from recording measurements to planning and tracking production schedules and materials. Showing strong accuracy, learning inventory or scheduling software, and knowing how the production process works help you move up.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and computer classesStrong math helps with measuring and calculating, and computer skills help with logging and recordkeeping.
  • Get a part-time job at a grocery store or warehouseStocking, counting, and checking items teaches you the routines and care that this job requires.
  • Join a Future Business Leaders of America or similar clubClubs like this teach record-keeping, teamwork, and following procedures, which are useful in any clerical or production role.
  • Volunteer with a food bankSorting, weighing, and logging donations gives you hands-on practice with counting and recordkeeping.
  • Take a shop or technical class if your school offers oneThese classes teach you to use measuring tools and follow precise instructions.

In college

  • Take courses in math, statistics, or basic quality controlStatistics and quality concepts help you understand sampling and checking results, even in an entry-level role.
  • Work a campus job that involves inventory or record-keepingWorking in a campus store, lab, or stockroom builds the accuracy and logging habits that employers look for.
  • Pursue a summer job or internship at a manufacturer or warehouseHands-on time on a production floor shows you how weighing and sampling fit into the bigger process.
  • Learn spreadsheet software wellBeing able to organize and check data in spreadsheets makes you a stronger candidate for recordkeeping roles.
  • Join a student organization focused on operations or supply chainThese groups build teamwork and give you a sense of how materials move through a business.

Tips for getting started

  • Practice accuracy and attention to detail now, since careful, correct records are the main thing employers look for in this work.
  • Get comfortable with spreadsheets and basic data entry, because many of these jobs involve logging results on a computer.
  • Ask about part-time or summer jobs in warehouses, factories, or grocery stores. Those jobs give you real experience with weighing, counting, and recordkeeping.

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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