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Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers in Washington
Want to work as an Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers in Washington? 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 Washington?
The inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers working in Washington, wages run about $58,450 per year (or roughly $28.10/hour).Earnings range from $39,150 at the 10th percentile to $103,570 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,150 | $18.82 |
| 25th percentile | $46,200 | $22.21 |
| Median (50th) | $58,450 | $28.10 |
| 75th percentile | $77,630 | $37.32 |
| 90th percentile | $103,570 | $49.79 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Washington relative to the national average — is 0.89, indicating fewer inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers per worker 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), exceeding the Washington median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 162,321 inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers nationwide. In Washington alone, approximately 12,090 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 7,330 inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers.
Top Washington Metros for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
These are the Washington metros with the most inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers in Washington.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 7,700 | $62,480 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 730 | $50,960 |
| Yakima, WA | 510 | $40,560 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 430 | $47,280 |
| Bellingham, WA | 270 | $49,300 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 260 | $41,480 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 220 | $55,230 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 200 | $69,010 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | 190 | $58,290 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 190 | $59,330 |
| Walla Walla, WA | 50 | $53,360 |
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
The most important inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Day-to-day, 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
Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Apache Hive, Atlassian JIRA, Autodesk AutoCAD In-demand technologies: Microsoft Excel
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Related college programs include:
Related Careers
Other careers like 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
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