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Agricultural Inspectors: Career Profile
Inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment, and facilities, and fish and logging operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and laws governing health, quality, and safety.
What Tasks Do Agricultural Inspectors Take On?
Typical responsibilities of agricultural inspectors include:
- Inspect food products and processing procedures to determine whether products are safe to eat.
- Interpret and enforce government acts and regulations and explain required standards to agricultural workers.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful agricultural inspectors rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Agricultural Commodities Inspector
- Agricultural Commodity Grader
- Agricultural Inspector
- Agricultural Specialist
- Agriculture Inspector
- Brand Inspector
- Cattle Examiner
- Cattle Inspector
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 324,218 agricultural inspectors working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -3.9% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Agricultural Inspectors
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $24,614 |
| Hourly median | $11.83 |
| 10th percentile | $20,000 |
| 25th percentile | $22,000 |
| 75th percentile | $28,504 |
| 90th percentile | $32,394 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Agricultural Inspectors Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Michigan | $72,300 |
| New York | $71,710 |
| Minnesota | $68,330 |
| Ohio | $65,750 |
| Delaware | $64,730 |
| Washington | $62,560 |
| Vermont | $61,080 |
| Hawaii | $60,900 |
| Louisiana | $60,170 |
| New Jersey | $59,510 |
| Maryland | $57,200 |
| Colorado | $56,310 |
| North Dakota | $55,840 |
| Illinois | $54,720 |
| Iowa | $53,910 |
| Oregon | $53,090 |
| Virginia | $52,950 |
| Wisconsin | $52,580 |
| New Mexico | $52,460 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,920 |
| Texas | $51,890 |
| California | $51,490 |
| Utah | $51,330 |
| Kansas | $50,830 |
| Montana | $50,360 |
| Oklahoma | $49,940 |
| Tennessee | $49,450 |
| Maine | $49,440 |
| Idaho | $49,000 |
| Kentucky | $49,000 |
| South Carolina | $49,000 |
| Missouri | $49,000 |
| Indiana | $48,420 |
| Nebraska | $48,140 |
| Massachusetts | $46,470 |
| North Carolina | $45,670 |
| Arizona | $44,100 |
| Georgia | $43,250 |
| Arkansas | $42,050 |
| Mississippi | $41,600 |
| Florida | $39,770 |
| Alabama | $39,560 |
| Wyoming | $36,670 |
| Puerto Rico | $19,980 |
Where Agricultural Inspectors Earn the Most
Compensation for agricultural inspectors vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes | $58,410 | 10.7% | 0.80 |
| Middle Atlantic | $58,120 | 10.8% | 1.08 |
| Far Western US | $54,112 | 24.1% | 1.63 |
| Plains States | $53,429 | 12.6% | 2.63 |
| New England | $53,062 | 1.3% | 1.36 |
| Southwest | $50,366 | 8.8% | 0.88 |
| Rocky Mountains | $48,225 | 4.3% | 2.24 |
| Southeast | $45,353 | 24.4% | 1.21 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Agricultural Inspectors
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $99,680 | 40 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | CA | $94,380 | 30 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $90,170 | 80 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | NY | $81,700 | 40 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | MI | $81,120 | 40 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $79,250 | 150 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $78,640 | 130 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | CA | $71,180 | 30 |
Which Industries Hire Agricultural Inspectors
Most agricultural inspectors are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 980 | $45,670 |
| Wholesale Trade | 870 | $55,970 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 590 | $47,330 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 500 | $41,180 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 170 | $51,900 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 130 | $44,360 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 110 | $90,340 |
| Educational Services | 80 | $52,460 |
Agricultural Inspectors work in the following industries:
Software Agricultural Inspectors Use
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of agricultural inspectors reflects the following characteristics:
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Contact With Others
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
How to Become Agricultural Inspectors
Entry-level agricultural inspectors positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Industrial Production Managers (Supplemental)
- Quality Control Systems Managers (Supplemental)
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors (Supplemental)
- Government Property Inspectors and Investigators (Supplemental)
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors (Supplemental)
- Food Scientists and Technologists (Supplemental)
- Agricultural Technicians (Primary-Short)
- Food Science Technicians (Primary-Short)
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 45-2011.00 (Agricultural Inspectors).
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