Sort by any column. Employment is the number of inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler, and Weigher Salary by State (2026)
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers earn the most in Alaska at $78,150 a year and the least in Puerto Rico at $29,870 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $48,570. All 54 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $78,150
- National median
- $48,570
- Lowest median
- $29,870
- States reporting
- 54
Alaska
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Puerto Rico
of 54 OEWS areas
Top 5 states for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
- 1. Alaska$78,150 median · $76,349 adjusted · 300 employed
- 2. Washington$64,420 median · $60,198 adjusted · 12,010 employed
- 3. Maryland$61,790 median · $58,871 adjusted · 4,600 employed
- 4. Hawaii$59,740 median · $54,333 adjusted · 650 employed
- 5. District of Columbia$59,730 median · $54,349 adjusted · 70 employed
Lowest-paying states for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
- 54. Puerto Rico$29,870 median · no price parity · 3,870 employed
- 53. Alabama$40,010 median · $45,045 adjusted · 13,120 employed
- 52. Mississippi$40,670 median · $46,772 adjusted · 6,970 employed
- 51. Guam$44,160 median · no price parity · 50 employed
- 50. Michigan$44,490 median · $46,239 adjusted · 27,980 employed
Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler, and Weigher salary in every state
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $78,150 | $63,640 | $116,510 | 300 | $76,349 |
| 2 | Washington | $64,420 | $49,190 | $106,080 | 12,010 | $60,198 |
| 3 | Maryland | $61,790 | $46,760 | $82,820 | 4,600 | $58,871 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $59,740 | $41,600 | $68,930 | 650 | $54,333 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $59,730 | $50,140 | $72,180 | 70 | $54,349 |
| 6 | Colorado | $58,350 | $48,210 | $70,850 | 5,220 | $56,622 |
| 7 | Montana | $58,070 | $47,080 | $76,920 | 580 | $61,356 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $57,900 | $44,880 | $73,880 | 990 | $62,466 |
| 9 | Delaware | $57,190 | $41,180 | $62,850 | 1,020 | $57,300 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $57,170 | $48,060 | $62,910 | 9,710 | $57,969 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $57,090 | $45,440 | $75,740 | 7,460 | $55,101 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $54,940 | $44,520 | $77,830 | 1,790 | $53,715 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $54,800 | $46,820 | $63,140 | 3,050 | $52,609 |
| 14 | Missouri | $54,420 | $45,630 | $75,140 | 12,480 | $59,923 |
| 15 | California | $54,300 | $45,630 | $68,580 | 61,130 | $49,043 |
| 16 | Oregon | $54,120 | $45,750 | $65,930 | 5,690 | $52,360 |
| 17 | Kansas | $53,680 | $45,990 | $66,060 | 9,300 | $59,599 |
| 18 | Maine | $53,570 | $43,590 | $64,580 | 1,800 | $55,198 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $52,270 | $46,630 | $65,050 | 10,650 | $49,425 |
| 20 | Arizona | $52,100 | $45,840 | $65,240 | 11,120 | $51,750 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $51,270 | $46,650 | $58,530 | 3,350 | $56,902 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $50,820 | $46,860 | $66,920 | 1,800 | $57,127 |
| 23 | Iowa | $50,740 | $46,460 | $61,080 | 7,230 | $57,815 |
| 24 | New York | $49,990 | $43,880 | $62,330 | 19,790 | $46,321 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $49,630 | $41,080 | $62,150 | 7,430 | $56,499 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $49,610 | $44,410 | $59,800 | 17,670 | $52,723 |
| 27 | Virginia | $49,590 | $40,710 | $62,140 | 9,830 | $49,049 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $49,500 | $42,580 | $63,510 | 1,550 | $53,681 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $49,490 | $37,110 | $66,390 | 8,110 | $56,107 |
| 30 | Nevada | $49,280 | $40,340 | $66,120 | 4,040 | $49,290 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $49,140 | $39,440 | $61,720 | 12,280 | $45,163 |
| 32 | Utah | $48,910 | $43,600 | $62,020 | 6,630 | $49,472 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $48,320 | $39,480 | $60,450 | 25,870 | $49,522 |
| 34 | Illinois | $47,920 | $41,360 | $59,540 | 31,700 | $47,940 |
| 35 | Indiana | $47,900 | $38,740 | $59,980 | 24,790 | $51,324 |
| 36 | Florida | $47,540 | $37,790 | $59,610 | 22,630 | $45,971 |
| 37 | Ohio | $47,360 | $39,950 | $59,990 | 32,060 | $51,049 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $47,240 | $42,600 | $54,630 | 1,090 | $53,327 |
| 39 | U.S. Virgin Islands | $47,240 | $38,030 | $64,990 | 30 | N/A |
| 40 | West Virginia | $47,010 | $37,880 | $60,800 | 2,720 | $52,527 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $46,890 | $37,910 | $58,540 | 13,360 | $50,017 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $46,430 | $37,180 | $57,220 | 19,700 | $49,223 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $46,280 | $38,020 | $57,430 | 12,880 | $51,332 |
| 44 | Texas | $46,210 | $37,930 | $59,630 | 56,390 | $47,611 |
| 45 | Vermont | $46,210 | $39,710 | $58,230 | 900 | $47,173 |
| 46 | Georgia | $46,130 | $38,400 | $58,120 | 19,980 | $47,906 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $45,760 | $37,470 | $55,330 | 17,140 | $49,810 |
| 48 | Idaho | $45,130 | $36,150 | $57,930 | 2,900 | $47,260 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $44,570 | $37,650 | $51,660 | 5,880 | $51,267 |
| 50 | Michigan | $44,490 | $36,360 | $53,290 | 27,980 | $46,239 |
| 51 | Guam | $44,160 | $38,340 | $51,600 | 50 | N/A |
| 52 | Mississippi | $40,670 | $35,610 | $49,760 | 6,970 | $46,772 |
| 53 | Alabama | $40,010 | $34,370 | $50,510 | 13,120 | $45,045 |
| 54 | Puerto Rico | $29,870 | $26,670 | $48,920 | 3,870 | N/A |
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers, that changes the ranking: Alaska leads on raw pay at $78,150, while Alaska leads once prices are taken into account at $76,349.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler, and Weigher pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers the most?
Alaska reports the highest median wage for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers at $78,150 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by Washington ($64,420) and Maryland ($61,790).
Which state pays Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers the least?
Puerto Rico reports the lowest median for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers at $29,870 a year, $48,280 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts Alaska first at $76,349 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $78,150. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
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