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Skilled Trades

Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products

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

Median salary (BLS)

$35,730

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$30k – $44k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

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Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-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. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most 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 "Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products" — 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

  1. Junior Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products

    Entry / Junior

    $29,580

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products

    Established

    $35,730

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products

    Senior

    $40,110

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Place products in containers according to grade and mark grades on containers.
  • •Weigh products or estimate their weight, visually or by feel.
  • •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.

Fields of study

Any field

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