Agricultural Inspectors
Inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment, and facilities, and fish and logging operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and laws governing health, quality, and safety.
Also called: Brand Inspector · Consumer Safety Inspector (CSI) · Food Inspector · Food Safety and Inspection Service Inspector (FSIS Inspector) · Food Sanitarian · Grain Inspector
Median pay (national)
$50,990
$37,440–$80,240 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
12,090
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+1.5%
~2,200 openings/yr
Typical entry
Bachelor's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for agricultural inspectors shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $80,240 versus $37,440 at the bottom 10% — 2.1x. The median of $50,990 leaves roughly 57% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +1.5% from 2024 to 2034 — slower than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 2,200 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 44 states with released data, Michigan pays the most for this role (median $72,300, +42% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $19,980 — a 262% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Monitoring as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Writing
- Learning Strategies
- Science
- Mathematics
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- 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.
- Monitor the operations and sanitary conditions of slaughtering or meat processing plants.
- Inspect or test horticultural products or livestock to detect harmful diseases, chemical residues, or infestations and to determine the quality of products or animals.
- Collect samples from animals, plants, or products and route them to laboratories for microbiological assessment, ingredient verification, or other testing.
- Inspect the cleanliness and practices of establishment employees.
- Write reports of findings and recommendations and advise farmers, growers, or processors of corrective action to be taken.
- Provide consultative services in areas such as equipment or product evaluation, plant construction or layout, or food safety systems.
- Testify in legal proceedings.
- Compare product recipes with government-approved formulas or recipes to determine acceptability.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Image processing software
- Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Operational databases
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- Law and Government
- Administrative
- Mathematics
- Public Safety and Security
- English Language
- Education and Training