Log Graders and Scalers: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry · SOC 45-4023 · O*NET 45-4023.00
Grade logs or estimate the marketable content or value of logs or pulpwood in sorting yards, millpond, log deck, or similar locations. Inspect logs for defects or measure logs to determine volume.
Log Graders and Scalers fall under the Farming, Fishing, and Forestry category in the U.S. occupational classification. Log Graders and Scalers earn a median salary of $46,710 per year, ranking in the top 73% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -0.7% job growth through 2034, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Entry into this field typically requires a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, certifications, or postsecondary credentials, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do log graders and scalers earn?
The median annual wage for log graders and scalers is $46,710. That puts log graders and scalers at #589 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $35,050 |
| 25th percentile | $38,390 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $46,710 |
| 75th percentile | $56,200 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $63,370 |
| Median hourly wage | $22.46/hr |
Is log graders and scalers a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for log graders and scalers is -0.7%, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Employment is projected to move from approximately 4K positions in 2024 to 4K in 2034, a net change of 0K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.
What do log graders and scalers do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working log graders and scalers, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Evaluate log characteristics and determine grades, using established criteria.
- 2.Record data about individual trees or load volumes into tally books or hand-held collection terminals.
- 3.Measure felled logs or loads of pulpwood to calculate volume, weight, dimensions, and marketable value, using measuring devices and conversion tables.
- 4.Paint identification marks of specified colors on logs to identify grades or species, using spray cans, or call out grades to log markers.
- 5.Jab logs with metal ends of scale sticks, and inspect logs to ascertain characteristics or defects such as water damage, splits, knots, broken ends, rotten areas, twists, and curves.
- 6.Identify logs of substandard or special grade so that they can be returned to shippers, regraded, recut, or transferred for other processing.
Top skills for log graders and scalers
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become log graders and scaler?
Many log graders and scalers enter the field with a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, though employers increasingly favor candidates with certifications or some postsecondary coursework. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about log graders and scalers
What is the median salary for log graders and scalers?
The median annual salary for log graders and scalers is $46,710 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is log graders and scalers a growing career?
BLS projects -0.7% growth for log graders and scalers from 2024 through 2034, which is declining growth projected to lose jobs through 2034.
What education does my child need to become log graders and scaler?
The typical entry path requires a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, certifications, or postsecondary credentials, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to log graders and scalers?
Related occupations within the Farming, Fishing, and Forestry category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.