Pay by state · 54 areas
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 Alabama at $40,010 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $48,570. The table below covers all 50 states, DC, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $78,150Alaska
- National median
- $48,570BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Lowest median
- $40,010Alabama
- Areas reporting
- 54of 54 OEWS areas
Top and bottom
Highest- and lowest-paying states for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
Ranked on the state median among the 50 states and DC. Territories are in the full table but not ranked here.
Highest median pay
- 1Alaska$78,150
- 2Washington$64,420
- 3Maryland$61,790
- 4Hawaii$59,740
- 5District of Columbia$59,730
Lowest median pay
- 1Alabama$40,010
- 2Mississippi$40,670
- 3Michigan$44,490
- 4Arkansas$44,570
- 5Idaho$45,130
All states
Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler, and Weigher salary in every state
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.
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AKAlaska | $78,150 | $63,640 | $116,510 | 300 | $76,349 |
| 2 | WAWashington | $64,420 | $49,190 | $106,080 | 12,010 | $60,198 |
| 3 | MDMaryland | $61,790 | $46,760 | $82,820 | 4,600 | $58,871 |
| 4 | HIHawaii | $59,740 | $41,600 | $68,930 | 650 | $54,333 |
| 5 | DCDistrict of Columbia | $59,730 | $50,140 | $72,180 | 70 | $54,349 |
| 6 | COColorado | $58,350 | $48,210 | $70,850 | 5,220 | $56,622 |
| 7 | MTMontana | $58,070 | $47,080 | $76,920 | 580 | $61,356 |
| 8 | WYWyoming | $57,900 | $44,880 | $73,880 | 990 | $62,466 |
| 9 | DEDelaware | $57,190 | $41,180 | $62,850 | 1,020 | $57,300 |
| 10 | MNMinnesota | $57,170 | $48,060 | $62,910 | 9,710 | $57,969 |
| 11 | CTConnecticut | $57,090 | $45,440 | $75,740 | 7,460 | $55,101 |
| 12 | RIRhode Island | $54,940 | $44,520 | $77,830 | 1,790 | $53,715 |
| 13 | NHNew Hampshire | $54,800 | $46,820 | $63,140 | 3,050 | $52,609 |
| 14 | MOMissouri | $54,420 | $45,630 | $75,140 | 12,480 | $59,923 |
| 15 | CACalifornia | $54,300 | $45,630 | $68,580 | 61,130 | $49,043 |
| 16 | OROregon | $54,120 | $45,750 | $65,930 | 5,690 | $52,360 |
| 17 | KSKansas | $53,680 | $45,990 | $66,060 | 9,300 | $59,599 |
| 18 | MEMaine | $53,570 | $43,590 | $64,580 | 1,800 | $55,198 |
| 19 | MAMassachusetts | $52,270 | $46,630 | $65,050 | 10,650 | $49,425 |
| 20 | AZArizona | $52,100 | $45,840 | $65,240 | 11,120 | $51,750 |
| 21 | NENebraska | $51,270 | $46,650 | $58,530 | 3,350 | $56,902 |
| 22 | NDNorth Dakota | $50,820 | $46,860 | $66,920 | 1,800 | $57,127 |
| 23 | IAIowa | $50,740 | $46,460 | $61,080 | 7,230 | $57,815 |
| 24 | NYNew York | $49,990 | $43,880 | $62,330 | 19,790 | $46,321 |
| 25 | OKOklahoma | $49,630 | $41,080 | $62,150 | 7,430 | $56,499 |
| 26 | WIWisconsin | $49,610 | $44,410 | $59,800 | 17,670 | $52,723 |
| 27 | VAVirginia | $49,590 | $40,710 | $62,140 | 9,830 | $49,049 |
| 28 | NMNew Mexico | $49,500 | $42,580 | $63,510 | 1,550 | $53,681 |
| 29 | LALouisiana | $49,490 | $37,110 | $66,390 | 8,110 | $56,107 |
| 30 | NVNevada | $49,280 | $40,340 | $66,120 | 4,040 | $49,290 |
| 31 | NJNew Jersey | $49,140 | $39,440 | $61,720 | 12,280 | $45,163 |
| 32 | UTUtah | $48,910 | $43,600 | $62,020 | 6,630 | $49,472 |
| 33 | PAPennsylvania | $48,320 | $39,480 | $60,450 | 25,870 | $49,522 |
| 34 | ILIllinois | $47,920 | $41,360 | $59,540 | 31,700 | $47,940 |
| 35 | INIndiana | $47,900 | $38,740 | $59,980 | 24,790 | $51,324 |
| 36 | FLFlorida | $47,540 | $37,790 | $59,610 | 22,630 | $45,971 |
| 37 | OHOhio | $47,360 | $39,950 | $59,990 | 32,060 | $51,049 |
| 38 | SDSouth Dakota | $47,240 | $42,600 | $54,630 | 1,090 | $53,327 |
| 39 | VIU.S. Virgin Islands | $47,240 | $38,030 | $64,990 | 30 | N/A |
| 40 | WVWest Virginia | $47,010 | $37,880 | $60,800 | 2,720 | $52,527 |
| 41 | SCSouth Carolina | $46,890 | $37,910 | $58,540 | 13,360 | $50,017 |
| 42 | NCNorth Carolina | $46,430 | $37,180 | $57,220 | 19,700 | $49,223 |
| 43 | KYKentucky | $46,280 | $38,020 | $57,430 | 12,880 | $51,332 |
| 44 | TXTexas | $46,210 | $37,930 | $59,630 | 56,390 | $47,611 |
| 45 | VTVermont | $46,210 | $39,710 | $58,230 | 900 | $47,173 |
| 46 | GAGeorgia | $46,130 | $38,400 | $58,120 | 19,980 | $47,906 |
| 47 | TNTennessee | $45,760 | $37,470 | $55,330 | 17,140 | $49,810 |
| 48 | IDIdaho | $45,130 | $36,150 | $57,930 | 2,900 | $47,260 |
| 49 | ARArkansas | $44,570 | $37,650 | $51,660 | 5,880 | $51,267 |
| 50 | MIMichigan | $44,490 | $36,360 | $53,290 | 27,980 | $46,239 |
| 51 | GUGuam | $44,160 | $38,340 | $51,600 | 50 | N/A |
| 52 | MSMississippi | $40,670 | $35,610 | $49,760 | 6,970 | $46,772 |
| 53 | ALAlabama | $40,010 | $34,370 | $50,510 | 13,120 | $45,045 |
| 54 | PRPuerto Rico | $29,870 | $26,670 | $48,920 | 3,870 | N/A |
Method
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, the adjustment does not change the leader: Alaska is first on raw pay and still first 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.
Questions
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?
Among the 50 states and DC, Alabama reports the lowest median for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers at $40,010 a year, $38,140 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Among the territories, U.S. Virgin Islands reports $47,240, Guam reports $44,160 and Puerto Rico reports $29,870.
Is the highest-paying state the best for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers after cost of living?
Yes. Alaska stays first after dividing each state median by its BEA Regional Price Parity, at $76,349 in national-average dollars from a raw $78,150. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024; the adjustment is NueCareer's calculation.