Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.
$Competitive · ~P50
P10$36K
P25$40K
P50$49K
P75$61K
P90$78K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
→
Demand: STABLE. Demand is stable -- manufacturing openings are at 3.7% (JOLTS, June 2026). A standard market: pay near the median, no urgency premium needed.
📈
Merit budget: Wages in manufacturing are rising about 3.3% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 2.9-3.4% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $48,568 to $61,443 (market median to the 75th percentile). Anchor on the median.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.
How Inspectors pay is moving in 2026
Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI
Pay trend
Median pay for this role rose 2.3% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, trailing the 3.3% wage growth of Manufacturing (BLS ECI).
Hiring demand · STABLE
Manufacturing is running a 3.7% job-openings rate with quits at 1.5% (BLS JOLTS). The openings rate has drifted up from 3.4% to 3.7% over the past quarter.
Pay spread
Top earners (P90) make about 2.2 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is in the typical range for U.S. occupations; standard 80% to 120% pay bands around the median work well.
What changed recently
Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings eased to 3.7%, with nondurable goods driving the pullback. Quits steady at 1.5%.
Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
Get notified when this number updates
Personal or work email, both work. No account needed. Unsubscribe anytime.
The national median salary for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers is $48,568 per year ($23.35/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $39,894 and $61,443 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $77,875 per year. There are approximately 597,370 inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+0.0%
Little or no change
Annual openings
70K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
598K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
0% from new growth100% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Employment Services
NAICS 561300
38K
$36,340
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
NAICS 541300
31K
$51,430
Plastics Product Manufacturing
NAICS 326100
30K
$45,630
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing
NAICS 336400
26K
$74,450
Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing
NAICS 336300
22K
$47,070
Wage range across top 5 industries: $36,340 to $74,450 (105% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$17.07
$35,506
P25
$19.18
$39,894
P50MEDIAN
$23.35
$48,568
P75
$29.54
$61,443
P90
$37.44
$77,875
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · manufacturing sector
Stable
Openings Rate
3.7%
Quits Rate
1.5%
Manufacturing openings eased to 481K (-36K) in June, rate 3.7%, with nondurable goods driving the pullback (-55K). Quits held at 1.5%. The sector remains stable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers salary?
The national median salary for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers is $48,568 per year ($23.35/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $39,894 and $61,443 annually.
How much do top-earning inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers make?
The 90th percentile salary for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers is $77,875 per year ($37.44/hr). The 75th percentile is $61,443 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers?
Entry-level Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers (10th percentile) earn approximately $35,506 per year ($17.07/hr). The 25th percentile is $39,894 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.
