Agricultural Inspectors Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for agricultural inspectors in the U.S. is $49,940 ($24.01 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $49,940
- Mean annual wage
- $54,910
- Median hourly wage
- $24.01
- Employment
- 14,410
14,410 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,020 | $17.80 |
| 25th percentile | $42,330 | $20.35 |
| Median (50th) | $49,940 | $24.01 |
| 75th percentile | $64,500 | $31.01 |
| 90th percentile | $79,580 | $38.26 |
Highest-paying states for agricultural inspectors
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $77,150 | 180 |
| New York | $73,920 | 340 |
| Ohio | $69,280 | 210 |
| Michigan | $65,730 | 320 |
| Vermont | $63,630 | 60 |
| Louisiana | $63,130 | 150 |
| Washington | $62,880 | 450 |
| Illinois | $62,000 | 470 |
| Hawaii | $60,650 | 90 |
| Maryland | $58,160 | 150 |
Lowest-paying states
- Wyoming: $36,670 median annual wage
- Nevada: $39,270 median annual wage
- Alabama: $39,300 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $39,960 median annual wage
- Georgia: $41,460 median annual wage
About this occupation
Inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment, and facilities, and fish and logging operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and laws governing health, quality, and safety.
Typical tasks
- Interpret and enforce government acts and regulations and explain required standards to agricultural workers.
- Inspect agricultural commodities or related operations, as well as fish or logging operations, for compliance with laws and regulations governing health, quality, and safety.
- Label and seal graded products and issue official grading certificates.
- Monitor the operations and sanitary conditions of slaughtering or meat processing plants.
- Verify that transportation and handling procedures meet regulatory requirements.
- Inspect or test horticultural products or livestock to detect harmful diseases, chemical residues, or infestations and to determine the quality of products or animals.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Bachelor's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 4.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 23.8% |
| Some college, no degree | 18.6% |
| Associate's degree | 10.7% |
| Bachelor's degree | 32.9% |
| Master's degree | 8.0% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 2.0% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$35,660
- Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$36,670
- Agricultural Equipment Operators$41,730
- First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers$59,320
- Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products$35,730
- Logging Equipment Operators$49,740
- Forest and Conservation Workers$43,680
- Agricultural Workers, All Other$39,850
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.