All careers › Log Graders and Scalers
Scaler: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $34,950lowest 10% earn less
- $37,78025th percentile
- $46,330median
- $56,25075th percentile
- $62,400top 10% earn more
A scaler, which BLS calls a Log Grader and Scaler, had median pay of $46,330 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to shrink 2.2% from 2025 to 2035[2].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- -2.2%[2]
- Openings per year
- 600[5]
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent[6]
How much do scalers make?
The median scaler earned $46,330 a year, or $22.27 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half earned more and half earned less. The average was $47,770 a year and $22.97 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations in the US was $50,980[4], so the scaler median was a bit lower.
| Point | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile[3][8] | $34,950 | $16.80 |
| 25th percentile[3][8] | $37,780 | $18.16 |
| Median[1] | $46,330 | $22.27 |
| 75th percentile[3][8] | $56,250 | $27.04 |
| 90th percentile[3][8] | $62,400 | $30.00 |
A percentile is a boundary. The lowest-paid 10% of scalers earned less than $34,950, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $62,400[3][9]. BLS does not publish a starting salary[9].
These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include bonuses outside regular production pay or the cost of benefits like health insurance[10]. That matters here, because 29.5% of log graders and scalers were self-employed in 2025[11].
Pay by state and city
BLS published state medians for 25 states[12]. Washington had the highest at $61,580, followed by Oregon at $60,250 and Idaho at $57,620[12]. Tennessee had the lowest of the states listed, at $35,920[12]. Job counts are small. Washington had 200 jobs and Oregon had 50[12].
The most jobs were in Pennsylvania (330), California (320), North Carolina (200), Washington (200) and Arkansas (190)[13].
In the metro data, Longview-Kelso, WA had 30 jobs and a median of $61,030[14].
Show median pay in 25 states
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Washington[12] | $61,580 | 200 |
| Oregon | $60,250 | 50 |
| Idaho | $57,620 | 140 |
| California | $56,670 | 320 |
| Michigan | $51,810 | 50 |
| Maine | $50,180 | 120 |
| Ohio | $49,710 | 30 |
| Mississippi | $48,010 | 130 |
| Louisiana | $47,510 | 90 |
| New Hampshire | $46,530 | 30 |
| Indiana | $46,160 | 60 |
| Wisconsin | $46,150 | 180 |
| Kentucky | $45,330 | 80 |
| Alabama | $44,950 | 100 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,550 | 330 |
| South Carolina | $44,370 | 40 |
| West Virginia | $43,040 | 90 |
| Arkansas | $42,340 | 190 |
| Georgia | $39,830 | 130 |
| Florida | $39,040 | 70 |
| Missouri | $37,440 | 60 |
| North Carolina | $36,850 | 200 |
| Virginia | $36,220 | 80 |
| Texas | $36,100 | 40 |
| Tennessee | $35,920 | 110 |
How to become a scaler
The BLS profile for this job is about logging workers as a wider group, so these training details describe that group[15].
- First: get a high school diploma or equivalent. BLS lists it as the typical entry education, with no related work experience needed[6]. Some logging jobs do not ask for a formal credential[16][17]. In an O*NET survey of 28 workers, 64% said a high school diploma or equivalent was required, 12% said some college courses, 11% said less than high school and 11% said a post-secondary certificate[18].
- Next: train on the job. BLS lists moderate-term on-the-job training[6]. For logging workers, the length varies and can last up to a year[19]. Training covers safety, logging practices and machinery, and some takes place in the field[20]. State agencies, trade associations and employers provide it[21].
- Then: check your state. Some states require a license or certification for certain logging workers, and rules differ by state[22].
Some vocational schools and community colleges offer certificates or associate's degrees tied to logging or forest technology[23]. BLS says education requirements for logging workers vary[17].
What scalers do
Scalers grade logs or estimate the value of logs or pulpwood in places such as sorting yards and log decks. They look for defects and measure logs to work out volume[24]. O*NET lists these tasks among the most important:
- Judge log quality and set grades using set criteria[25].
- Record data on trees or loads in tally books or hand-held devices[25].
- Measure logs or loads to work out volume, weight and value[25].
- Paint marks on logs to show grade or species[25].
- Inspect logs for flaws such as splits, knots and rot[25].
- Flag logs of lower or special grade so they can be returned or reworked[25].
- Weigh log trucks before and after unloading and record the weights[25].
- Signal coworkers to direct log movement[25].
O*NET sample titles include log grader, log scaler, lumber grader and timber buyer[26]. BLS names communication, detail orientation and physical stamina as useful qualities for logging workers[27][28][29].
Where they work
Log graders and scalers usually work in sawmills, wood product factories or lumber yards[30]. For logging workers overall, the logging industry was the largest employer, at 49% in 2025[31].
Logging is physically demanding and can be dangerous. Workers are outdoors all the time, sometimes in bad weather and in isolated areas[32]. The work involves lifting, climbing and other hard activity, though machines have taken over some heavy labor[33]. Logging workers have one of the highest fatality rates of all occupations[34]. Workers follow safety rules that often include hardhats and safety glasses[35].
Logging workers are mostly full time, and some work longer weeks. Schedules can include early mornings or long shifts, and the work may be seasonal in some regions[36].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment of Log Graders and Scalers to decline 2.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 4,400 to 4,300 jobs, a change of 100 jobs[2]. For all occupations, projected growth is 3.5%[37]. These counts include self-employed workers[2]. The pay data above counts only about 3,070 wage and salary jobs[38].
Even so, BLS expects about 600 openings a year on average from 2025 to 2035[5]. Openings include jobs left by workers who retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 6.2% of workers leave the labor force and 6.9% move to a different occupation[39].
Is it a good fit?
The facts show a small occupation with a modest entry bar: a high school diploma or equivalent and training on the job that can run up to a year[6][19]. Median pay was a little below the all-occupations median, and state pay varied widely[1][4][12]. Employment is projected to dip, though openings still come up each year[2][5]. The work is outdoors or in yards and mills, and logging can be dangerous[30][32].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a scaler make an hour?
- The median was $22.27 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $22.97[1][7]. The 10th percentile was $16.80 and the 90th was $30.00[8].
- What education do you need to be a log scaler?
- BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education, with no related experience needed[6].
- How long does it take to become a scaler?
- BLS lists moderate-term on-the-job training[6]. For logging workers overall, training length varies and can last up to a year[19].
- Is log scaling in demand?
- Employment is projected to decline 2.2% from 2025 to 2035, but about 600 openings a year are expected[2][5].
- What is the highest paying state for log graders and scalers?
- Washington had the highest median at $61,580, then Oregon at $60,250[12].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Log Graders and Scalers in the US was $46,330 per year and $22.27 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Log Graders and Scalers is projected to decline 2.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 4,400 to 4,300 jobs (a change of -100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Log Graders and Scalers: 10th percentile $34,950, 25th percentile $37,780, 75th percentile $56,250, 90th percentile $62,400. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 600 openings for Log Graders and Scalers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Log Graders and Scalers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Log Graders and Scalers was $47,770 per year and $22.97 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Log Graders and Scalers: 10th percentile $16.80, 25th percentile $18.16, 75th percentile $27.04, 90th percentile $30.00. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: 29.5% of Log Graders and Scalers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
- Median annual wage for Log Graders and Scalers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Log Graders and Scalers jobs: Pennsylvania 330; California 320; North Carolina 200; Washington 200; Arkansas 190. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Log Graders and Scalers jobs: Longview-Kelso, WA 30 (median $61,030). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Logging Workers" covers Log Graders and Scalers together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET 45-4023.00 survey of workers (28 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 64%, Some College Courses 12%, Less than a High School Diploma 11%, Post-Secondary Certificate 11% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET description of Log Graders and Scalers. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Log Graders and Scalers. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 45-4023.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Log Buyer, Log Check Scaler, Log Grader, Log Scaler, Lumber Grader, Scaler, Timber Buyer. O*NET OnLine
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of logging workers in 2025: Logging 49%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Injuries and Illnesses. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Injuries and Illnesses. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 3,070 people were employed as Log Graders and Scalers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Log Graders and Scalers: 6.2% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.9% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
This page 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. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.