# Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products

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

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/graders-and-sorters-agricultural-products
- SOC code: 45-2041.00
- Career family: Farming, fishing and forestry
- Median annual pay: $35,730 (10th percentile $29,580, 90th percentile $44,490)
- Projected growth: Decline, -3.4%
- Openings a year: 5,800
- Typical entry education: No formal credential
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RCI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 77 |
| Investigative (I) | 25 |
| Artistic (A) | 11 |
| Social (S) | 8 |
| Enterprising (E) | 19 |
| Conventional (C) | 67 |

## What you'd do

- Handling and Moving Objects (importance 90/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 83/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 82/100)
- Getting Information (importance 81/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 69/100)
- Performing General Physical Activities (importance 68/100)
- Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People (importance 60/100)
- Processing Information (importance 60/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 56/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 55/100)

## Skills

Monitoring, Active Listening, Speaking, Coordination, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Reading Comprehension, Time Management, Writing, Active Learning

## Knowledge

Production and Processing, English Language, Mechanical, Food Production, Education and Training, Foreign Language, Public Safety and Security, Administration and Management, Customer and Personal Service, Mathematics

## Also called

Agricultural Establishment Grader Inspector, Agricultural Produce Sorter, Agriculture Laborer, Apple Sorter, Apple Turner, Asparagus Buncher, Banana Expert, Banana Grader, Bean Sorter, Bulb Grader

## Related careers

- [Packers and Packagers, Hand](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/packers-and-packagers-hand): $36,280 median pay
- [Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/food-and-tobacco-roasting-baking-and-drying-machine-operators-and-tenders): $44,810 median pay
- [Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/meat-poultry-and-fish-cutters-and-trimmers): $38,300 median pay
- [Food Batchmakers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/food-batchmakers): $42,290 median pay
- [Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/packaging-and-filling-machine-operators-and-tenders): $43,220 median pay
- [Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/food-cooking-machine-operators-and-tenders): $41,590 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.