Jetted FoxCareers · Production machines & quality
Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
Check products and materials for defects by measuring, testing and comparing them to specs. No college degree needed.
Start now · paid while you train
Starting pay ranges from about $16.52/hr in Alabama to $30.60/hr in Alaska.
Pay in every state
| State | Start | 2 years |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $13.53–16.52/hr | $19.24/hr |
| Alaska | $23.80–30.60/hr | $37.57/hr |
| Arizona | $18.85–22.04/hr | $25.05/hr |
| Arkansas | $16.29–18.10/hr | $21.43/hr |
| California | $18.63–21.94/hr | $26.11/hr |
| Colorado | $21.01–23.18/hr | $28.06/hr |
| Connecticut | $18.51–21.85/hr | $27.45/hr |
| Delaware | $18.06–19.80/hr | $27.50/hr |
| Florida | $15.89–18.17/hr | $22.86/hr |
| Georgia | $16.28–18.46/hr | $22.18/hr |
| Hawaii | $17.33–20/hr | $28.72/hr |
| Idaho | $16.72–17.38/hr | $21.70/hr |
| Illinois | $17.41–19.88/hr | $23.04/hr |
| Indiana | $17.11–18.63/hr | $23.03/hr |
| Iowa | $18.83–22.34/hr | $24.40/hr |
| Kansas | $18.17–22.11/hr | $25.81/hr |
| Kentucky | $16.57–18.28/hr | $22.25/hr |
| Louisiana | $16.93–17.84/hr | $23.80/hr |
| Maine | $16.44–20.96/hr | $25.76/hr |
| Maryland | $18–22.48/hr | $29.71/hr |
| Massachusetts | $18.34–22.42/hr | $25.13/hr |
| Michigan | $16.46–17.48/hr | $21.39/hr |
| Minnesota | $20.21–23.11/hr | $27.49/hr |
| Mississippi | $14.83–17.12/hr | $19.55/hr |
| Missouri | $17.61–21.94/hr | $26.17/hr |
| Montana | $18.02–22.64/hr | $27.92/hr |
| Nebraska | $18.81–22.43/hr | $24.65/hr |
| Nevada | $17.08–19.39/hr | $23.69/hr |
| New Hampshire | $20.03–22.51/hr | $26.35/hr |
| New Jersey | $17.18–18.96/hr | $23.62/hr |
| New Mexico | $17.35–20.47/hr | $23.80/hr |
| New York | $17.88–21.10/hr | $24.03/hr |
| North Carolina | $15.19–17.88/hr | $22.32/hr |
| North Dakota | $19.47–22.53/hr | $24.43/hr |
| Ohio | $17.15–19.21/hr | $22.77/hr |
| Oklahoma | $17.16–19.75/hr | $23.86/hr |
| Oregon | $18.43–22/hr | $26.02/hr |
| Pennsylvania | $17.17–18.98/hr | $23.23/hr |
| Rhode Island | $17.98–21.41/hr | $26.41/hr |
| South Carolina | $16.83–18.23/hr | $22.54/hr |
| South Dakota | $18.24–20.48/hr | $22.71/hr |
| Tennessee | $16.40–18.01/hr | $22/hr |
| Texas | $15.48–18.24/hr | $22.22/hr |
| Utah | $18.10–20.96/hr | $23.52/hr |
| Vermont | $18.51–19.09/hr | $22.22/hr |
| Virginia | $17.41–19.57/hr | $23.84/hr |
| Washington | $19.63–23.65/hr | $30.97/hr |
| Washington, DC | $19.78–24.11/hr | $28.71/hr |
| West Virginia | $14.66–18.21/hr | $22.60/hr |
| Wisconsin | $17.93–21.35/hr | $23.85/hr |
| Wyoming | $18.93–21.58/hr | $27.84/hr |
Estimates, May 2025. Start = what the lowest-paid 10–25% earn; 2 years = the median. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it takes
Before you're hired
Once you're hired
A normal day
You work in a factory or warehouse, pulling parts from the line and checking them with gauges, calipers, scales or test machines. You compare results to drawings and specs, tag bad parts and record data. When something fails, you tell the line lead and production stops until it's fixed.
The good parts
Huge number of openings in every kind of factory. Less physically hard than line jobs. Clear path into quality technician jobs.
The hard parts
Repetitive checks for most of the shift. Production staff can push back when you stop the line. Some plants are loud, hot or dirty.
Where it leads
Production lead or supervisor (after 1–5 years). quality technician, quality lead and certifications like ASQ Certified Quality Inspector lead to higher pay.
Quick answers
Do inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers need a college degree?
No. You can start now: paid while you train.
How long is the training for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers?
1–6 months of paid training at work.
How much do inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers make?
About $17.07–19.18 an hour to start and $23.35 an hour at the median across the US (May 2025).
Is it a fit for you?
Answer a few questions and see your paths. Free, about 7 minutes.
Last updated October 13, 2026. Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Jobs: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Training, costs and requirements: Jetted Fox research (estimates). This site includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Jetted Fox has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Facts, not advice.