Inspects sports and trading cards under magnification to authenticate them and assign a condition grade that sets their market value. BLS does not publish separate figures for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers; it counts them within inspector, tester, sorter, sampler, and weigher (SOC 51-9061), whose median pay is $48,570 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 51-9061
- Production
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Trading Card Grader in four numbers
- Median pay
- $48,570a year, or $23.35/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $36KTop 10% $78K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.5%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2.5%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2.5% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 66,700602,000 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025602K
- Projected 2035617.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 602K Projected 2035 617.2K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school69.8%
- Certificate26.9%
- Some college2.6%
- Associate's0.7%
Highest education held by inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers Segment Value High school 69.8% Certificate 26.9% Some college 2.6% Associate's 0.7%
Also advertised as: Card Grader, Sports Card Grader, Collectibles Grader, Card Authenticator, Trading Card Authenticator.
Pay
How much do Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers make?
Every trading card grader in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$48,570
Middle half earn $39,890 to $61,440
- 10th
- $35,510
- 25th
- $39,890
- 75th
- $61,440
- 90th
- $77,860
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $35,510 |
| 25th | $39,890 |
| Median | $48,570 |
| 75th | $61,440 |
| 90th | $77,860 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $48,570
- Median hourly wage
- $23.35/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $53,450
- People employed
- 597,370
Versus all US occupations
At $48,570, Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers earn 5% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $2,410 a year.
Versus production occupations
The median is typical for the Production group, where the middle occupation pays $48,030.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $77,860 or more while the bottom 10% earn $35,510, a gap of 2.2×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 19% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Alaska pays the most at $78,150, and still leads at $76,349 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Alaska | $78,150 | $76,349 | 300 |
| 2Washington | $64,420 | $60,198 | 12,010 |
| 3Maryland | $61,790 | $58,871 | 4,600 |
| 4Hawaii | $59,740 | $54,333 | 650 |
| 5District of Columbia | $59,730 | $54,349 | 70 |
| 6Colorado | $58,350 | $56,622 | 5,220 |
| 7Montana | $58,070 | $61,356 | 580 |
| 8Wyoming | $57,900 | $62,466 | 990 |
| 9Delaware | $57,190 | $57,300 | 1,020 |
| 10Minnesota | $57,170 | $57,969 | 9,710 |
Job outlook
Is Trading Card Grader a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +2.5% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | +2.5% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers to change 2.5% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 15,200 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 66,700 openings are projected each year, 11.1% of the 602,000 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Trading Card Grader
There is no formal degree requirement. Grading companies look for deep knowledge of cards, sharp eyesight and color perception, and careful attention to detail, and many graders were serious collectors first. New hires usually start in operations roles such as receiving or encapsulation and train under senior graders before grading independently.
The largest employers include PSA and SGC, both owned by Collectors, along with Beckett and CGC. Training periods are long because consistency with the company's standard is what matters most. Experienced graders may move into senior grading, authentication of autographs or quality control.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)69.8%
- Post-Secondary Certificate26.9%
- Some College Courses2.6%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree0.7%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 69.8% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 26.9% |
| Some College Courses | 2.6% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 0.7% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Trading Card Grader do?
Trading card graders examine cards submitted by collectors and dealers, check that they are genuine and unaltered, and assign a grade on the company's condition scale. They study centering, corners, edges and surface under bright light and magnification, looking for tiny flaws such as soft corners, print lines or scratches, as well as signs of trimming, recoloring or counterfeiting.
Grades matter: a single step on the scale can change a card's value dramatically, so graders follow strict standards and many cards are checked by more than one grader. Once a grade is set, the card is sealed in a tamper-evident holder with a label and certification number. Some graders specialize in vintage sports cards, modern cards or games such as Pokemon.
Day-to-day tasks
- Inspect card centering, corners, edges and surface
- Detect trimming, recoloring and other alterations
- Identify counterfeit and reprinted cards
- Assign condition grades according to company standards
- Verify card identity, year and variation details
- Review cards graded by others for consistency
- Document grades for encapsulation and certification
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Graders work in secure facilities at grading companies, seated at well-lit workstations with magnifiers for most of the day. The work is quiet, focused and repetitive, with production targets. Volume spikes can bring overtime. Security procedures are strict because of the value of the cards handled.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Writing3.3
- Critical Thinking3.3
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Active Listening3.1
- Speaking3.1
- Monitoring3.0
- Mathematics2.6
- Active Learning2.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Writing | 3.3 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.3 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 |
| Active Listening | 3.1 |
| Speaking | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Mathematics | 2.6 |
| Active Learning | 2.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Quality Control Analysis3.8
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Operations Monitoring3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Social Perceptiveness2.9
- Coordination2.9
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
- Operation and Control2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.8 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.9 |
| Coordination | 2.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.9 |
| Operation and Control | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Content workflow software · in demand
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise application integration software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Trading Card Grader?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code CRI) built on O*NET's Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler, and Weigher profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Trading Card Grader |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic5.7
- Conventional5.5
- Investigative3.8
- Enterprising1.4
- Artistic1.0
- Social1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Trading Card Grader
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More production careers
Median annual pay, with inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers highlighted
- Power Plant Operator$102,040
- Tool and Die Maker$64,050
- Machinist$58,750
- Welder$53,750
- Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter$51,330
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator$50,690
- Trading Card Grader$48,570
- Butcher and Meat Cutter$40,140
- Baker$37,160
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Power Plant Operator | $102,040 |
| Tool and Die Maker | $64,050 |
| Machinist | $58,750 |
| Welder | $53,750 |
| Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter | $51,330 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 |
| Trading Card Grader | $48,570 |
| Butcher and Meat Cutter | $40,140 |
| Baker | $37,160 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Trading Card Grader appears on
Questions
Trading Card Grader: frequently asked questions
How much do Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers. It counts them within inspector, tester, sorter, sampler, and weigher, whose median pay is $48,570 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $39,890 and $61,440, and the top 10% earn $77,860 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Trading Card Grader?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 69.8% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Trading Card Grader a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 2.5% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 66,700 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Trading Card Grader do?
Trading card graders examine cards submitted by collectors and dealers, check that they are genuine and unaltered, and assign a grade on the company's condition scale. A typical task: inspect card centering, corners, edges and surface. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Content workflow software.
Which states pay Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers the most?
The highest state medians for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers are Alaska ($78,150), Washington ($64,420), Maryland ($61,790) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Trading Card Grader?
O*NET scores Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.