What is a Janitor?
Janitor Example 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
- Make adjustments or minor repairs to heating, cooling, ventilating, plumbing, or electrical systems.
- Strip, seal, finish, and polish floors.
- Mow or trim lawns or shrubbery, using mowers or hand or power trimmers, and clear debris from grounds.
- Clean windows, glass partitions, or mirrors, using soapy water or other cleaners, sponges, or squeegees.
- Clean building floors by sweeping, mopping, scrubbing, or vacuuming.
- Clean and polish furniture and fixtures.
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Janitor Required Skills
When polled, Janitors say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
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.
Types of Janitor
- Handy Man
- Facility Service Associate
- Custodial Aide
- Pool Cleaner
- Cleaning Laborer
Job Demand for Janitors
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 2,384,600 jobs in the United States for Janitor. 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.
Do Janitors Make A Lot Of Money?
Janitors make between $19,060 and $43,340 a year.

Janitors who work in Massachusetts, Washington, or Alaska, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Janitors 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 & Technology 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
Becoming a Janitor
Are there Janitors education requirements?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Janitor?

Where do Janitors Work?

Below are examples of industries where Janitors work:

Related Careers
Career changers with experience as a Janitor sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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