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Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers in Alabama
Want to work as an Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers in Alabama? Here’s what you need to know. Inspect, test, sort, sample, or weigh nonagricultural raw materials or processed, machined, fabricated, or assembled parts or products for defects, wear, and deviations from specifications. May use precision measuring instruments and complex test equipment.
What do Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers Make in Alabama?
For inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers working in Alabama, wages run about $39,190 per year (or about $18.84/hour).Earnings range from $27,560 at the 10th percentile to $61,680 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $27,560 | $13.25 |
| 25th percentile | $33,220 | $15.97 |
| Median (50th) | $39,190 | $18.84 |
| 75th percentile | $49,420 | $23.76 |
| 90th percentile | $61,680 | $29.66 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Alabama relative to the national average — is 1.63, suggesting that inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers earn a median of $42,864 per year ($20.61/hour), lower than the Alabama median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 162,321 inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers across the United States. In Alabama alone, about 13,080 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 7,330 inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers.
Top Alabama Metros for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
The largest metro-area employers of inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers in Alabama.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 1,950 | $42,390 |
| Huntsville, AL | 1,790 | $47,570 |
| Montgomery, AL | 1,120 | $44,160 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 820 | $42,190 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | 700 | $37,040 |
| Mobile, AL | 510 | $54,190 |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | 430 | $46,100 |
| Decatur, AL | 390 | $43,200 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | 350 | $38,040 |
| Gadsden, AL | 260 | $33,090 |
| Dothan, AL | 250 | $35,130 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | 140 | $46,240 |
Top States for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers Employment
The table below shows the states where the most inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 60,280 |
| Texas | 55,320 |
| Ohio | 31,010 |
| Illinois | 30,740 |
| Michigan | 29,370 |
| Pennsylvania | 23,100 |
| Indiana | 21,880 |
| Florida | 21,060 |
| New York | 20,540 |
| Georgia | 20,140 |
| North Carolina | 19,830 |
| Wisconsin | 17,750 |
| Tennessee | 17,530 |
| South Carolina | 14,900 |
| Alabama | 13,080 |
| Kentucky | 12,900 |
| New Jersey | 12,610 |
| Washington | 12,090 |
| Missouri | 12,080 |
| Massachusetts | 10,790 |
Highest-Paying States for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
The highest-paying states for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $98,800 |
| District of Columbia | $70,030 |
| Wyoming | $59,930 |
| Maryland | $58,710 |
| Washington | $58,450 |
| Montana | $57,520 |
| Colorado | $56,370 |
| Kansas | $55,930 |
| Hawaii | $54,800 |
| Connecticut | $54,230 |
Skills
Key inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Top abilities for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers typically:
- Discard or reject products, materials, or equipment not meeting specifications.
- Mark items with details, such as grade or acceptance-rejection status.
- Measure dimensions of products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as rulers, calipers, gauges, or micrometers.
- Notify supervisors or other personnel of production problems.
- Inspect, test, or measure materials, products, installations, or work for conformance to specifications.
- Write test or inspection reports describing results, recommendations, or needed repairs.
- Recommend necessary corrective actions, based on inspection results.
- Read dials or meters to verify that equipment is functioning at specified levels.
- Make minor adjustments to equipment, such as turning setscrews to calibrate instruments to required tolerances.
- Read blueprints, data, manuals, or other materials to determine specifications, inspection and testing procedures, adjustment methods, certification processes, formulas, or measuring instruments required.
- Monitor production operations or equipment to ensure conformance to specifications, making necessary process or assembly adjustments.
- Record inspection or test data, such as weights, temperatures, grades, or moisture content, and quantities inspected or graded.
Work Activities
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Getting Information
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Processing Information
Tools & Technology
Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Apache Hive, Atlassian JIRA, Autodesk AutoCAD In-demand technologies: Microsoft Excel
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Programs that train for this career include:
Related Careers
Careers similar to inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers include:
- Mechanical Engineers
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians
- Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment
Also Known As
Abrasive Grader, Acid Tester, Air Box Tester, Air Conditioning Unit Tester (AC Unit Tester), Air Sampler, Air Value Tester, Aircraft Instrument Tester, Aircraft Launching and Arresting Systems Inspector, Aligning Inspector, Alloy Weigher, Aluminum Boat Inspector, Aluminum Container Tester, Ammunition Components Inspector, Ampoule Examiner, Ampoule Inspector.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 51-9061.00