Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers Salary
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers in Baton Rouge, LA make a median of $59,720 a year, or about $28.71 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.78), which stretches that salary to about $65,785 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,204/month, about 30.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $60K get you in Baton Rouge?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Baton Rouge’s Regional Price Parity (90.78). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge sits well above the national pay line for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers, local pay runs about 23% higher than the U.S. median of $49K. Rent runs $1,204/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers in metros near Baton Rouge, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lafayette | $37K | $43K |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $60K | $65K |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $60K | $70K |
| Lake Charles | $64K | $74K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Baton Rouge, LA
Entry-level inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $61K spread from bottom to top.
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $78K | +61% | 300 |
| Washington | $64K | +33% | 12,010 |
| Maryland | $62K | +27% | 4,600 |
| Hawaii | $60K | +23% | 650 |
| District of Columbia | $60K | +23% | 70 |
| Colorado | $58K | +20% | 5,220 |
| Montana | $58K | +20% | 580 |
| Wyoming | $58K | +19% | 990 |
| Delaware | $57K | +18% | 1,020 |
| Minnesota | $57K | +18% | 9,710 |
| Connecticut | $57K | +18% | 7,460 |
| Rhode Island | $55K | +13% | 1,790 |
| New Hampshire | $55K | +13% | 3,050 |
| Missouri | $54K | +12% | 12,480 |
| California | $54K | +12% | 61,130 |
| Oregon | $54K | +11% | 5,690 |
| Kansas | $54K | +11% | 9,300 |
| Maine | $54K | +10% | 1,800 |
| Massachusetts | $52K | +8% | 10,650 |
| Arizona | $52K | +7% | 11,120 |
| Nebraska | $51K | +6% | 3,350 |
| North Dakota | $51K | +5% | 1,800 |
| Iowa | $51K | +4% | 7,230 |
| New York | $50K | +3% | 19,790 |
| Oklahoma | $50K | +2% | 7,430 |
| Wisconsin | $50K | +2% | 17,670 |
| Virginia | $50K | +2% | 9,830 |
| New Mexico | $50K | +2% | 1,550 |
| Louisiana | $49K | +2% | 8,110 |
| Nevada | $49K | +1% | 4,040 |
| New Jersey | $49K | +1% | 12,280 |
| Utah | $49K | +1% | 6,630 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | -1% | 25,870 |
| Illinois | $48K | -1% | 31,700 |
| Indiana | $48K | -1% | 24,790 |
| Florida | $48K | -2% | 22,630 |
| Ohio | $47K | -2% | 32,060 |
| South Dakota | $47K | -3% | 1,090 |
| West Virginia | $47K | -3% | 2,720 |
| South Carolina | $47K | -3% | 13,360 |
| North Carolina | $46K | -4% | 19,700 |
| Kentucky | $46K | -5% | 12,880 |
| Vermont | $46K | -5% | 900 |
| Texas | $46K | -5% | 56,390 |
| Georgia | $46K | -5% | 19,980 |
| Tennessee | $46K | -6% | 17,140 |
| Idaho | $45K | -7% | 2,900 |
| Arkansas | $45K | -8% | 5,880 |
| Michigan | $44K | -8% | 27,980 |
| Mississippi | $41K | -16% | 6,970 |
| Alabama | $40K | -18% | 13,120 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Baton Rouge numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weigher afford a 2BR apartment alone in Baton Rouge?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 30.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,204/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers in Baton Rouge?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,200/month. At HUD’s $1,204/month FMR, rent would take 55% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weigher a high-paying job in Baton Rouge?
Local pay is 23% above the national median — $60K here vs. $49K nationally.
How does Baton Rouge compare to the national average for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers?
Baton Rouge pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s +23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers make in Baton Rouge, LA?
The median is $59,720 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,660, and experienced inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers can clear $97,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Baton Rouge?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,006/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,204/month, which eats 30.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers salary go in Baton Rouge?
Baton Rouge has a Regional Price Parity of 90.78 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers salary is worth about $65,785 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.