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Agriculture and Natural Resources

Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products

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

Visual summary of pay, outlook, skills, interests, and preparation for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
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Median pay

$35,430
Median annual pay for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
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10-year growth

-5.4%
Projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Annual openings

5,100
Projected annual openings, including growth and replacement demand.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Employment

38,900
Estimated U.S. employment for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
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Jobs added or lost

-2,100
Projected numeric employment change from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Entry preparation

No formal educational credential
Typical additional preparation: Short-term on-the-job training.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024 profile
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O*NET occupation profile

What the work involves

Strongest O*NET signals first.

Essential skills

  1. 1Monitoring
  2. 2Active Listening
  3. 3Speaking
  4. 4Critical Thinking
  5. 5Reading Comprehension
  6. 6Writing

Knowledge areas

  1. 1Production and Processing
  2. 2English Language
  3. 3Mechanical
  4. 4Food Production
  5. 5Education and Training
  6. 6Foreign Language

Abilities

  1. 1Manual Dexterity
  2. 2Near Vision
  3. 3Category Flexibility
  4. 4Finger Dexterity
  5. 5Oral Comprehension
  6. 6Oral Expression

Career interests

  1. 1Realistic
  2. 2Conventional
  3. 3Investigative
  4. 4Enterprising
  5. 5Artistic
  6. 6Social

Work styles

  1. 1Attention to Detail
  2. 2Dependability
  3. 3Cautiousness
  4. 4Integrity
  5. 5Stress Tolerance
  6. 6Perseverance

Work activities

  1. 1Handling and Moving Objects
  2. 2Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
  3. 3Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  4. 4Getting Information
  5. 5Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
  6. 6Performing General Physical Activities

Work context

  1. 1Spend Time Standing
  2. 2Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
  3. 3Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
  4. 4Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
  5. 5Physical Proximity
  6. 6Indoors, Environmentally Controlled

Representative tasks

  • 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.
  • Record grade or identification numbers on tags or on shipping, receiving, or sales sheets.

Software and tools

Microsoft Excel · in demandMicrosoft Outlook · in demandMicrosoft Access · hot technologyMicrosoft Active Server Pages ASP · hot technologyMicrosoft Office software · hot technologyMicrosoft PowerPoint · hot technologyMicrosoft Word · hot technology

Sources

BLS provides national pay, employment, and projections. O*NET provides skills, interests, preparation, tasks, work context, and tools.

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