Skilled Trades
Agricultural Inspectors
Inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment, and facilities, and fish and logging operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and laws governing health, quality, and safety.
Median salary (BLS)
$49,940
10th–90th percentile (BLS)
$37k – $80k
Job outlook
+2% (about average)
AI exposure
Plan a path to Agricultural Inspectors
Education
Typical entry: No degree required
Plan my path to this →How to qualify
EstimateLicense requiredCost to qualify
$100–$2,600
Time to qualify
3.1 yr
Renewal
$50/yr
- 1
Registered apprenticeship (paid)
ExperienceEarn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.
$0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source
- 2
Journeyman exam & state/local license
LicenseMost states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.
$100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source
Estimated typical U.S. route for "Agricultural Inspectors" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.
Typical progression
Junior Agricultural Inspectors
Entry / Junior
$37,020
~2 yrs to advance
Agricultural Inspectors
Established
$49,940
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Agricultural Inspectors
Senior
$64,760
Key skills
A typical day
- •Inspect food products and processing procedures to determine whether products are safe to eat.
- •Interpret and enforce government acts and regulations and explain required standards to agricultural workers.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Skilled Trades
Explore all- Purdue University50% admit · $78,000 grad pay
- Ohio State University53% admit · $68,000 grad pay
- Pennsylvania State University55% admit · $70,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.