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.
National median · BLS
$34,890
▲ +3.22%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$34,920
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
198,040
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 Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$27,440
25th
$30,360
Median (50th)
$34,890
75th
$37,560
90th — top pay
$43,190
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 Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers
BLS projects employment of laundry and dry-cleaning workers to grow 4.3% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 28,200 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
204,900 → 213,700
+8,700 jobs
Projected change
+4.3%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
28,200
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
2.5% 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
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers 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
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers 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 Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers
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
Active Listening2.9
Monitoring2.9
Operation and Control2.9
Critical Thinking2.8
Social Perceptiveness2.8
Time Management2.8
Coordination2.6
Operations Monitoring2.6
Speaking2.6
Reading Comprehension2.5
Top knowledge areas
Production and Processing2.7
English Language2.5
Customer and Personal Service2.5
Chemistry2.2
Education and Training2.0
Computers and Electronics2.0
Mathematics2.0
Public Safety and Security2.0
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WordCentsCurbside Laundries Wash and Fold POS SoftwareEmail softwareProperty management system PMS softwareSales processing softwareWash-Dry-Fold POSWeb browser software
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 laundry and dry-cleaning workers do
Operate extractors and driers, or direct their operation.
Remove items from washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to do so.
Load articles into washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to perform loading.
Sort and count articles removed from dryers, and fold, wrap, or hang them.
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.
Examine and sort into lots articles to be cleaned, according to color, fabric, dirt content, and cleaning technique required.
Clean machine filters, and lubricate equipment.
Determine spotting procedures and proper solvents, based on fabric and stain types.
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 Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $34,890.
