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Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers: Career Profile
Operate or tend washing or dry-cleaning machines to wash or dry-clean industrial or household articles, such as cloth garments, suede, leather, furs, blankets, draperies, linens, rugs, and carpets. Includes spotters and dyers of these articles.
The Daily Work of Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Take On?
Typical responsibilities of laundry and dry-cleaning workers span:
- Load articles into washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to perform loading.
- Start washers, dry cleaners, driers, or extractors, and turn valves or levers to regulate machine processes and the volume of soap, detergent, water, bleach, starch, and other additives.
- Operate extractors and driers, or direct their operation.
- Remove items from washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to do so.
- Sort and count articles removed from dryers, and fold, wrap, or hang them.
- Clean machine filters, and lubricate equipment.
- Examine and sort into lots articles to be cleaned, according to color, fabric, dirt content, and cleaning technique required.
- Receive and mark articles for laundry or dry cleaning with identifying code numbers or names, using hand or machine markers.
What Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Need to Know
Successful laundry and dry-cleaning workers draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Assorter
- Bag Hanger
- Bag Washer
- Benzene Washer
- Benzene Worker
- Blanket Washer
- Box Storage Worker
- Bundle Breaker
How Many Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Are There?
The U.S. employs around 858,171 laundry and dry-cleaning workers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +2.4% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $66,423 |
| Hourly median | $31.93 |
| 10th percentile | $38,053 |
| 25th percentile | $52,238 |
| 75th percentile | $80,608 |
| 90th percentile | $94,793 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $39,220 |
| North Dakota | $37,710 |
| Oregon | $37,190 |
| District of Columbia | $37,070 |
| Vermont | $37,030 |
| Maine | $36,840 |
| California | $36,740 |
| Montana | $36,640 |
| Minnesota | $36,560 |
| Massachusetts | $36,310 |
| Connecticut | $36,180 |
| Colorado | $36,140 |
| New Hampshire | $35,760 |
| Rhode Island | $35,550 |
| Alaska | $35,500 |
| Idaho | $35,490 |
| Illinois | $35,140 |
| Arizona | $35,120 |
| Michigan | $34,900 |
| Hawaii | $34,890 |
| Wisconsin | $34,760 |
| New Jersey | $34,330 |
| Nebraska | $33,950 |
| New York | $33,880 |
| Nevada | $33,690 |
| Utah | $33,690 |
| Pennsylvania | $33,460 |
| Maryland | $32,790 |
| Tennessee | $32,320 |
| Delaware | $32,250 |
| Iowa | $32,250 |
| South Dakota | $31,820 |
| Virgin Islands | $31,030 |
| Virginia | $30,920 |
| Missouri | $30,500 |
| Wyoming | $30,470 |
| Florida | $30,320 |
| Ohio | $30,150 |
| North Carolina | $30,120 |
| New Mexico | $29,990 |
| Indiana | $29,960 |
| Kansas | $29,540 |
| South Carolina | $29,350 |
| Texas | $29,060 |
| Kentucky | $28,670 |
| Georgia | $28,370 |
| West Virginia | $28,260 |
| Alabama | $28,230 |
| Arkansas | $27,980 |
| Louisiana | $27,270 |
| Oklahoma | $27,060 |
| Mississippi | $24,120 |
| Guam | $22,310 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,040 |
Where Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Earn the Most
Compensation for laundry and dry-cleaning workers vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $36,559 | 17.7% | 1.15 |
| New England | $36,250 | 3.8% | 0.80 |
| Rocky Mountains | $35,349 | 4.1% | 1.11 |
| Middle Atlantic | $33,732 | 15.0% | 1.01 |
| Great Lakes | $33,076 | 14.1% | 0.99 |
| Plains States | $32,959 | 7.2% | 1.06 |
| Southwest | $29,849 | 12.4% | 0.99 |
| Southeast | $29,664 | 25.3% | 1.05 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $43,450 | 850 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $42,500 | 2,140 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $41,650 | 2,480 |
| Napa, CA | CA | $40,350 | 190 |
| Bozeman, MT | MT | $39,460 | 220 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $39,440 | 1,160 |
| Bismarck, ND | ND | $39,120 | 190 |
| Chambersburg, PA | PA | $39,100 | 50 |
Top Industries Employing Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers
The bulk of laundry and dry-cleaning workers work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 96,930 | $33,650 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 41,560 | $33,800 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 32,630 | $34,070 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 14,260 | $33,290 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 2,920 | $34,530 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1,270 | $35,360 |
| Manufacturing | 550 | $38,910 |
| Wholesale Trade | 420 | $32,670 |
Below are examples of industries where laundry and dry-cleaning workers work:
Software Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for laundry and dry-cleaning workers reflects the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Standing
- Health and Safety of Other Workers
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
Getting Started in This Career
Typical laundry and dry-cleaning workers positions require less than a high school diploma as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Dishwashers (Supplemental)
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners (Supplemental)
- Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners (Primary-Long)
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials (Primary-Short)
- Sewing Machine Operators (Primary-Short)
- Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders (Primary-Long)
- Furniture Finishers (Supplemental)
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand (Supplemental)
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 51-6011.00 (Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers).
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