Leaf sorter
Also known as: tobacco leaf sorters, tobacco leaf sorting attendant, cigar leaf sorter, leaf inspector, tobacco leaf separator, leaf quality analyst
About this occupation
Leaf sorters analyse colour and condition of tobacco leaves in order to determine whether they should be used as cigar wrappers or binders. They select leaves without visible defects taking into account colour variations, tears, tar spots, tight grain, and sizes as per specifications. They fold wrapper leaves into bundles for stripping.
Essential skills and knowledge
- quality prototype of a tobacco leaf
- sort tobacco leaves
- manufacturing of smokeless tobacco products
- perform sensory evaluation
- exert quality control to processing food
- variety of tobacco leaves
- history of tobacco
- maintain updated professional knowledge
- assess the colour curing of tobacco leaves
- mark differences in colours
- assure quality of tobacco leaves
- grade tobacco leaves
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products (O*NET 45-2041.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Place products in containers according to grade and mark grades on containers.
- Weigh products or estimate their weight, visually or by feel.
- Discard inferior or defective products or foreign matter, and place acceptable products in containers for further processing.
- Grade and sort products according to factors such as color, species, length, width, appearance, feel, smell, and quality to ensure correct processing and usage.
- Record grade or identification numbers on tags or on shipping, receiving, or sales sheets.
- Typical education (US)
- Less than a High School Diploma
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Investigative
Top skills: Monitoring, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Coordination, Reading Comprehension
US median pay: US$35,730 a year (2025), 25,180 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageImportant (3.0)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. 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. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- Less than a High School Diploma
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. 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. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Packers and Packagers, Hand
- Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders
- Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
- Food Batchmakers
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
- Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Machine Feeders and Offbearers
- Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. 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. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.