Log Graders and Scalers Salary
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations · 3.1K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$46,330
Median hourly
$22
Average annual
$47,770
Typical range
$34,950–$62,400
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Log Graders and Scalers is $46,330 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $22 an hour at a full-time schedule.
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..
Most earn between $34,950 and $62,400 a year. There are roughly 3.1K people employed as log graders and scalers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Log Graders and Scalers.
- Hourly
- $22.27
- Daily
- $178
- Weekly
- $891
- Bi-weekly
- $1,782
- Monthly
- $3,861
- Annual
- $46,330
$46,330 a year is around the 50th percentile for Log Graders and Scalerss. The median is $46,330.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Washington$61,580
- 2Oregon$60,250
- 3Idaho$57,620
- 4California$56,670
- 5Michigan$51,810
- 6Maine$50,180
- 7Ohio$49,710
- 8Mississippi$48,010
- 9Louisiana$47,510
- 10New Hampshire$46,530
- 11Indiana$46,160
- 12Wisconsin$46,150
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Longview-Kelso, WA$61,030
Related job titles
Employers advertise Log Graders and Scalers roles under these titles.
Related occupations
- Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$46,380
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,570
- Logging Equipment Operators$49,740
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,240
- Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products$35,730
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$52,800
- Machine Feeders and Offbearers$41,220
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$43,380
What a Log Graders and Scalers does
- Paint identification marks of specified colors on logs to identify grades or species, using spray cans, or call out grades to log markers.
- 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.
- Evaluate log characteristics and determine grades, using established criteria.
- Record data about individual trees or load volumes into tally books or hand-held collection terminals.
- Measure felled logs or loads of pulpwood to calculate volume, weight, dimensions, and marketable value, using measuring devices and conversion tables.
- Identify logs of substandard or special grade so that they can be returned to shippers, regraded, recut, or transferred for other processing.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Log Graders and Scalers make?
- The median annual wage for Log Graders and Scalers is $46,330 ($22 per hour). Pay ranges from about $34,950 at the 10th percentile to $62,400 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Log Graders and Scalers?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $47,770, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Log Graders and Scalerss the most?
- Washington has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $61,580.
- Is Log Graders and Scalers a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 3.1K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Log Graders and Scalers do?
- Paint identification marks of specified colors on logs to identify grades or species, using spray cans, or call out grades to log markers.; 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.; Evaluate log characteristics and determine grades, using established criteria..