Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers Salary
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers in Minnesota make a median of $57,170 a year, or about $27.49 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $61,739 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,384/month, about 37.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Minnesota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $57K get you in Minnesota?
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 Minnesota
Minnesota sits well above the national pay line for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers, local pay runs about 18% higher than the U.S. median of $49K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,384/month, which is 36.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.6 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Minnesota
Entry-level inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $77K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers salary by metro in Minnesota
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth | $60K | +5% | 260 |
| Rochester | $60K | +5% | 150 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $59K | +3% | 6,300 |
| Mankato | $52K | -9% | 240 |
| St. Cloud | $50K | -12% | 360 |
Compare to other states
Track inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Minnesota numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weigher afford a 2BR apartment alone in Minnesota?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 36.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,384/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Minnesota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,522/month. At HUD’s $1,384/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 Minnesota?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $57K here vs. $49K nationally.
How does Minnesota compare to the national average for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers?
Minnesota pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s +18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers make in Minnesota?
The median is $57,170 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,030, and experienced inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers can clear $76,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Minnesota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,793/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,384/month, which eats 36.5% 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 Minnesota?
Minnesota has a Regional Price Parity of 92.6 (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 $61,739 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.