Clean dishes, kitchen, food preparation equipment, or utensils.
National median · BLS
$34,810
▲ +3.39%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$34,310
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
477,450
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Dishwashers
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$26,200
25th
$29,690
Median (50th)
$34,810
75th
$37,440
90th — top pay
$42,860
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Dishwashers
BLS projects employment of dishwashers to decline 1% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%.
About 68,900 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
480,400 → 475,600
-4,800 jobs
Projected change
-1%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
68,900
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
0.2% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035
Dishwashers salaries by state
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Dishwashers salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Dishwashers
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Operation and Control2.9
Coordination2.8
Active Listening2.6
Time Management2.6
Critical Thinking2.5
Monitoring2.5
Operations Monitoring2.5
Social Perceptiveness2.5
Speaking2.5
Quality Control Analysis2.4
Top knowledge areas
English Language3.2
Food Production2.8
Education and Training2.5
Customer and Personal Service2.4
Public Safety and Security2.3
Administration and Management1.9
Communications and Media1.9
Transportation1.7
Software and technology used
FacebookMicrosoft Windows
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: 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.
About the job
What dishwashers do
Wash dishes, glassware, flatware, pots, or pans, using dishwashers or by hand.
Maintain kitchen work areas, equipment, or utensils in clean and orderly condition.
Place clean dishes, utensils, or cooking equipment in storage areas.
Sweep or scrub floors.
Stock supplies, such as food or utensils, in serving stations, cupboards, refrigerators, or salad bars.
Clean or prepare various foods for cooking or serving.
Sort and remove trash, placing it in designated pickup areas.
Transfer supplies or equipment between storage and work areas, by hand or using hand trucks.
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Dishwashers, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $34,810.
