# Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping

US SOC code 43-5111. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/43-5111

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **53,300** US recordkeeping weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, with median pay of **$46,380** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2003, the highest was **83,570**, in May 2004. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Grain_Standards_Act) of **25,000** from 1900, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era in this work: Warehouse management systems, ERP integration, and RFID, 1995 to 2015.

Figures: Official statistic (latest count and pay, highest count); Researched context (earliest figure).

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to decline 4.8% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=43-5111&ioType=o) (Official statistic).

### AI exposure studies

- **27.6%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv) (Official statistic)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1790
- Latest US employment: 53,300 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [4]
- Latest US median pay: $46,380 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [6]
- Outlook: -4.8% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [17]

### All 26 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1900 | 25,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Author estimate [1] |
| 1940 | 65,000 | n/a | Decennial Census 1940 [2] |
| 1990 | 100,000 | $20,800 | Decennial Census 1990 [3] |
| 2003 | 77,770 | $24,540 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [4] |
| 2004 | 83,570 | $24,570 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [4] |
| 2005 | 79,050 | $25,310 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [4] |
| 2006 | 77,520 | $25,370 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [4] |
| 2007 | 76,000 | $26,120 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [4] |
| 2008 | 72,720 | $26,940 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [4] |
| 2009 | 69,890 | $27,310 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [4] |
| 2010 | 66,480 | $27,170 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [4] |
| 2011 | 68,090 | $27,390 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [4] |
| 2012 | 69,870 | $27,920 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [4] |
| 2013 | 69,990 | $28,370 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [4] |
| 2014 | 69,430 | $28,570 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [4] |
| 2015 | 69,360 | $28,690 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [4] |
| 2016 | 74,460 | $28,790 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [4] |
| 2017 | 72,630 | $30,180 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [4] |
| 2018 | 65,830 | $32,310 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [4] |
| 2019 | 60,920 | $35,040 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [4] |
| 2020 | 57,960 | $36,650 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [4] |
| 2021 | 54,760 | $37,610 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [4] |
| 2022 | 52,610 | $39,950 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [4] |
| 2023 | 51,250 | $43,270 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [4] |
| 2024 | 49,720 | $45,650 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [4] |
| 2025 | 53,300 | $46,380 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [4] |

## Sources (73)

### Employment series

1. [Author estimate: approx. 25,000 weighers/measurers/samplers in 1900, derived from the size of commodity-handling sectors; the 1900 Census reported a broad 'Weighers, gaugers, and measurers' category but no dedicated recordkeeping-weigher code](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Grain_Standards_Act), Future History estimate (context: 1900 U.S. Census occupation reports)
2. [IPUMS USA: 1940 Census Occupation Codes — OCC1950 classification documentation](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/occ_ind.shtml), IPUMS / University of Minnesota
3. [IPUMS USA: 1990 Census Occupation Codes — OCC 368 "Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers"](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/occ1990.shtml), IPUMS / University of Minnesota
4. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

5. [IPUMS USA: 1990 Census Occupation Codes and Earnings — OCC 368 "Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers" classification](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/occ1990.shtml), IPUMS / University of Minnesota
6. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Tool eras

7. [National Institute of Standards and Technology: History — NBS founded 1901 to provide standard weights and measures](https://www.nist.gov/history), NIST
8. [Wikipedia: National Bureau of Standards — founded March 3, 1901, custody of national kilogram and meter bar standards](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Bureau_of_Standards), Wikipedia
9. [Wikipedia: Checkweighman — history, coal mine coal weighing disputes, and legal right to elect checkweighmen (UK 1860)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checkweighman), Wikipedia
10. [Wikipedia: United States Grain Standards Act (1916) — formalization of federal grain weighing and inspection](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Grain_Standards_Act), Wikipedia
11. [Wikipedia: Statistical process control — Shewhart control chart (1924), adoption in American War Standards Z1.1-1941](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_process_control), Wikipedia
12. [Wikipedia: Walter A. Shewhart — Western Electric 1918, control chart May 16 1924, ASTM adoption 1933](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_A._Shewhart), Wikipedia
13. [Wikipedia: Barcode — DoD adoption of Code 39 in 1981 as catalyst for industrial barcode adoption](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcode), Wikipedia
14. [Wikipedia: RFID — adoption surge ca. 2010 (decreased cost, 99.9% reliability, stable ISO standard); WMS integration for receiving and delivery labor reduction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RFID), Wikipedia
15. [IPUMS USA: ACS/PRCS Occupation Codes 2018-present — OCC code 5630 "Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping"](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/occ2018.shtml), IPUMS / University of Minnesota
16. [O\*NET 43-5111.00 — tasks, technology, and work activities for Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping (2024)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/43-5111.00), O\*NET / BLS

### Forecasts and exposure studies

17. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 43-5111 Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping (2025: 53.6 thousand; 2035: 51.0 thousand; -4.8%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=43-5111&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
18. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 43-5111.00, human-rated β 0.276)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

19. [Wikipedia: National Bureau of Standards — constitutional background and Washington's 1790-1791 advocacy for uniform standards](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Bureau_of_Standards), Wikipedia
20. [Wikipedia: Checkweighman — UK 1860 legal right, coal mine weighing disputes, union-elected checkweighmen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checkweighman), Wikipedia
21. [Wikipedia: United States Grain Standards Act — signed August 11, 1916; "25 years of investigation"; formalized official weighing and inspection](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Grain_Standards_Act), Wikipedia / US Congress
22. [Wikipedia: Walter A. Shewhart — Western Electric 1918, control chart May 16 1924, ASTM adoption 1933, WWII War Standards](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_A._Shewhart), Wikipedia
23. [Wikipedia: Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration — FGIS established 1976, national grain weighing program](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grain_Inspection,_Packers_and_Stockyards_Administration), Wikipedia
24. [Wikipedia: ISO 9000 — developed March 1987, built on BSI BS 5750 (1979); process management philosophy from 2000 revision](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_9000), Wikipedia / ISO

### Predecessors & successors

25. [Wikipedia: National Bureau of Standards — US weights and measures standardization history from 1790](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Bureau_of_Standards), Wikipedia
26. [Wikipedia: Checkweighman — coal mine weighing disputes, union-elected checkweighmen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checkweighman), Wikipedia
27. [Wikipedia: Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration — Federal Grain Inspection Service established 1976](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grain_Inspection,_Packers_and_Stockyards_Administration), Wikipedia

### Present-day analysis

- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-21
- [O\*NET 30.3 — US Department of Labor](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), accessed 2026-05-21

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.