Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Agricultural Graders
Agricultural Graders grade, sort, or classify unprocessed food and other agricultural products by size, weight, color, or condition.
Table of contents
What they do
Agricultural Graders grade, sort, or classify unprocessed food and other agricultural products by size, weight, color, or condition.
- 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.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Agricultural Graders grade and sort products according to factors such as color, species, length, width, appearance, feel, smell, and quality to ensure correct processing and usage. They discard inferior or defective products or foreign matter, and place acceptable products in containers for further processing.
A typical day for an Agricultural Grader will also include:
- Weigh products or estimate their weight, visually or by feel.
- Place products in containers according to grade and mark grades on containers.
- Record grade or identification numbers on tags or on shipping, receiving, or sales sheets.
- Separate fiber tufts between fingers to assess strength, uniformity, and cohesive quality of fibers.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Agricultural Graders also separate fiber tufts between fingers to assess strength, uniformity, and cohesive quality of fibers. They may also discard inferior or defective products or foreign matter, and place acceptable products in containers for further processing.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Agricultural Graders record grade or identification numbers on tags or on shipping, receiving, or sales sheets. They might also grade and sort products according to factors such as color, species, length, width, appearance, feel, smell, and quality to ensure correct processing and usage.
In addition, they place products in containers according to grade and mark grades on containers.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them weigh products or estimate their weight, visually or by feel.
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
62% said they were satisfied with their job and 57% said they found their job meaningful.
Pros
Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.
Suitable for people who want to work in a supportive work environment.
It is very easy to get into this career. Little or no previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to help and teach others.
One of the lowest paying jobs.
Demand for this career is not growing.
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Agricultural Graders with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $20,340 to $25,170 per year or $10 to $12 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $36,040 | $17 |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $31,120 | $15 |
| Median | $28,220 | $14 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $25,170 | $12 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $20,340 | $10 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Agricultural Graders based on their average annual salary.
| Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Dairy Product Manufacturing | $36690 | $17.64 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $36410 | $17.50 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $36220 | $17.41 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $34770 | $16.72 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $33710 | $16.20 |
| State Government | $32740 | $15.74 |
| Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers | $31330 | $15.06 |
| Support Activities for Crop Production | $30960 | $14.89 |
| Federal Executive Branch | $30960 | $14.89 |
| Grain and Oilseed Milling | $30450 | $14.64 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Agricultural Graders work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Agricultural Graders including the average salary in that industry.
| Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support Activities for Crop Production | 10080 | $30960 | $14.89 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 7730 | $28670 | $13.78 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | 2950 | $28220 | $13.57 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | 1660 | $28270 | $13.59 |
| Other Food Manufacturing | 1140 | $27620 | $13.28 |
| Federal Executive Branch | 1130 | $30960 | $14.89 |
| Food and Beverage Stores | 660 | $26630 | $12.80 |
| Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers | 640 | $31330 | $15.06 |
| Warehousing and Storage | 230 | $34770 | $16.72 |
| State Government | 190 | $32740 | $15.74 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
How often do you use email in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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