Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary
Production Occupations · 198K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$34,890
Median hourly
$17
Average annual
$34,920
Typical range
$27,440–$43,190
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers is $34,890 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $17 an hour at a full-time schedule.
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..
Most earn between $27,440 and $43,190 a year. There are roughly 198K people employed as laundry and dry-cleaning workers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers.
- Hourly
- $16.77
- Daily
- $134
- Weekly
- $671
- Bi-weekly
- $1,342
- Monthly
- $2,908
- Annual
- $34,890
$34,890 a year is around the 50th percentile for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workerss. The median is $34,890.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Washington$39,590
- 2Oregon$37,800
- 3California$37,790
- 4District of Columbia$37,790
- 5Colorado$37,680
- 6Minnesota$37,580
- 7Massachusetts$37,490
- 8North Dakota$37,470
- 9Maine$37,380
- 10Vermont$37,300
- 11Rhode Island$37,230
- 12New Hampshire$36,860
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$44,410
- 2Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$43,610
- 3San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$43,310
- 4Napa, CA$42,600
- 5Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$41,080
- 6Bismarck, ND$39,760
- 7Vallejo, CA$39,680
- 8Boulder, CO$39,430
- 9Bellingham, WA$39,320
- 10Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$39,290
- 11Rochester, MN$39,030
- 12Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$39,000
Related job titles
Employers advertise Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers roles under these titles.
Related occupations
- Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment$35,830
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials$35,060
- Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders$43,530
- Sewing Machine Operators$36,670
- Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers$41,600
- Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders$38,180
- Machine Feeders and Offbearers$41,220
- Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$35,510
What a Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers does
- 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.
- Sort and count articles removed from dryers, and fold, wrap, or hang them.
- Load articles into washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to perform loading.
- Remove items from washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to do so.
- Operate extractors and driers, or direct their operation.
- 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.
- Clean machine filters, and lubricate equipment.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers make?
- The median annual wage for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers is $34,890 ($17 per hour). Pay ranges from about $27,440 at the 10th percentile to $43,190 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $34,920, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workerss the most?
- Washington has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $39,590.
- Is Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 198K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers do?
- 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.; Sort and count articles removed from dryers, and fold, wrap, or hang them.; Load articles into washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to perform loading..