Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers to grow 2.5% from 2025 to 2035 (about 15,200 more jobs), with about 66,700 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $48,570 a year ranks 582nd of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +2.5%
- Openings a year
- 66,700
- Median pay
- $48,570
- Pay rank
- 582nd of 825
Is employment of inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers to rise 2.5% (about 15,200 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is faster than the -0.4% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 105 production occupations with a projection. That change ranks 441st of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 602,000 |
| Employment, 2035 | 617,200 |
| Projected change | +2.5% |
| Openings a year | 66,700 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 602,000 jobs here differ from the 597,370 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 66,700 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 58th most of 830 occupations. About 98% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 1,520 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers rank?
The median of $48,570 a year ranks 582nd of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on openings and the lower half on pay.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Typical on-the-job training: moderate-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers | -5.6% | 3,100 | $65,380 |
| Engine and Other Machine Assemblers | -17.0% | 2,100 | $53,710 |
| Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | +0.6% | 11,600 | $47,180 |
| Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders | +1.3% | 1,300 | $46,460 |
| Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | +0.7% | 5,400 | $47,720 |
| Machinists | +1.0% | 26,100 | $58,750 |
| Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters | -6.1% | 0 | $62,620 |
| Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | -13.2% | 1,000 | $52,800 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.