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What is a Janitor?
Occupation Description Keep buildings in clean and orderly condition. Perform heavy cleaning duties, such as cleaning floors, shampooing rugs, washing walls and glass, and removing rubbish. Duties may include tending furnace and boiler, performing routine maintenance activities, notifying management of need for repairs, and cleaning snow or debris from sidewalk.
Janitor Responsibilities
- Clean and restore building interiors damaged by fire, smoke, or water, using commercial cleaning equipment.
- Clean and polish furniture and fixtures.
- Gather and empty trash.
- Drive vans, industrial trucks, or other vehicles required to travel to or to perform cleaning work.
- Set up, arrange, or remove decorations, tables, chairs, ladders, or scaffolding to prepare facilities for events, such as banquets or meetings.
- Notify managers concerning the need for major repairs or additions to building operating systems.
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What Every Janitor Should Know
These are the skills Janitors say are the most useful in their careers:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Other Janitor Job Titles
- Fixture Relamper
- Patch Worker
- Chore Worker
- Swimming Pool Servicer
- General Cleaner
Job Demand for Janitors
There were about 2,384,600 jobs for Janitor in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 9.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 236,600 new jobs for Janitor by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 344,100 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Janitor are Utah, Washington, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Vermont, or Illinois. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Janitor
The typical yearly salary for Janitors is somewhere between $19,060 and $43,340.
Janitors who work in Massachusetts, Washington, or Alaska, make the highest salaries.
How much do Janitors make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $23,700 |
| Alaska | $34,130 |
| Arizona | $26,410 |
| Arkansas | $23,520 |
| California | $33,570 |
| Colorado | $28,980 |
| Connecticut | $34,360 |
| Delaware | $28,530 |
| District of Columbia | $32,260 |
| Florida | $25,450 |
| Georgia | $24,180 |
| Hawaii | $31,350 |
| Idaho | $25,770 |
| Illinois | $30,410 |
| Indiana | $26,900 |
| Iowa | $28,030 |
| Kansas | $25,900 |
| Kentucky | $25,940 |
| Louisiana | $22,030 |
| Maine | $29,940 |
| Maryland | $28,370 |
| Massachusetts | $35,560 |
| Michigan | $27,230 |
| Minnesota | $31,680 |
| Mississippi | $22,120 |
| Missouri | $27,470 |
| Montana | $29,790 |
| Nebraska | $27,350 |
| Nevada | $30,380 |
| New Hampshire | $29,420 |
| New Jersey | $31,700 |
| New Mexico | $24,320 |
| New York | $35,080 |
| North Carolina | $24,190 |
| North Dakota | $30,740 |
| Ohio | $27,930 |
| Oklahoma | $23,670 |
| Oregon | $29,860 |
| Pennsylvania | $28,730 |
| Rhode Island | $31,000 |
| South Carolina | $23,370 |
| South Dakota | $25,900 |
| Tennessee | $24,430 |
| Texas | $24,870 |
| Utah | $25,270 |
| Vermont | $31,280 |
| Virginia | $26,340 |
| Washington | $35,220 |
| West Virginia | $26,000 |
| Wisconsin | $28,200 |
| Wyoming | $29,340 |
What Tools do Janitors Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Janitors may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
How do I Become a Janitor?
Learn what Janitor education requirements there are.
How Long Does it Take to Become a Janitor?
Where Janitors Are Employed
The table below shows the approximate number of Janitors employed by various industries.
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Are you already one of the many Janitor in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.