All careers › Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers
Laundry attendant: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $27,440lowest 10% earn less
- $30,36025th percentile
- $34,890median
- $37,56075th percentile
- $43,190top 10% earn more
The median laundry and dry-cleaning worker earned $34,890 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 4.3% from 2025 to 2035, a little faster than the 3.5% for all occupations[2][3].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- +4.3%[2]
- Openings per year
- 28,200[6]
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential[7]
How much do laundry attendants make?
The median wage for laundry and dry-cleaning workers was $34,890 a year, or $16.78 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $34,920 a year, or $16.79 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations was $50,980 a year[5].
The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $27,440 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $43,190[4]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[9].
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th[4][10] | $27,440 | $13.19 |
| 25th[4][10] | $30,360 | $14.60 |
| 75th[4][10] | $37,560 | $18.06 |
| 90th[4][10] | $43,190 | $20.77 |
These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production, and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[11].
Pay by state and city
Washington had the highest median annual wage at $39,590[12]. Oregon followed at $37,800[12], then California at $37,790[12]. Mississippi had the lowest listed median, $27,190[12].
California had the most jobs, 21,940, followed by Texas with 17,030 and Florida with 14,150[13].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median at $44,410[14]. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA followed at $43,610[14], then San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $43,310[14]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs, 14,040, with a median of $35,910[15].
Show median pay in 50 states and DC
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Washington[12] | $39,590 | 3,870 |
| Oregon | $37,800 | 1,890 |
| California | $37,790 | 21,940 |
| District of Columbia | $37,790 | 320 |
| Colorado | $37,680 | 3,370 |
| Minnesota | $37,580 | 3,530 |
| Massachusetts | $37,490 | 3,700 |
| North Dakota | $37,470 | 840 |
| Maine | $37,380 | 820 |
| Vermont | $37,300 | 280 |
| Rhode Island | $37,230 | 650 |
| New Hampshire | $36,860 | 890 |
| Arizona | $36,500 | 4,290 |
| Connecticut | $36,310 | 1,830 |
| Montana | $36,250 | 1,030 |
| Nevada | $36,210 | 4,540 |
| Alaska | $36,050 | 750 |
| New Jersey | $36,050 | 6,110 |
| Wisconsin | $35,700 | 3,310 |
| Hawaii | $35,690 | 1,730 |
| Utah | $35,690 | 1,470 |
| Illinois | $35,220 | 8,550 |
| Idaho | $35,140 | 1,350 |
| Michigan | $35,100 | 4,970 |
| New York | $35,050 | 13,020 |
| Nebraska | $34,790 | 1,060 |
| Maryland | $34,710 | 3,780 |
| Pennsylvania | $34,060 | 6,290 |
| Iowa | $34,050 | 1,900 |
| Missouri | $33,870 | 3,930 |
| Delaware | $33,730 | 710 |
| Tennessee | $33,220 | 5,730 |
| South Dakota | $32,780 | 750 |
| Florida | $32,340 | 14,150 |
| Virginia | $32,140 | 4,900 |
| North Carolina | $31,920 | 5,570 |
| Indiana | $30,930 | 3,190 |
| New Mexico | $30,850 | 1,320 |
| Georgia | $30,580 | 5,150 |
| Ohio | $30,520 | 6,990 |
| South Carolina | $30,470 | 3,160 |
| Kansas | $30,120 | 2,160 |
| Texas | $29,630 | 17,030 |
| Kentucky | $29,220 | 2,350 |
| West Virginia | $28,970 | 1,340 |
| Wyoming | $28,630 | 690 |
| Arkansas | $28,460 | 1,640 |
| Alabama | $28,370 | 2,150 |
| Oklahoma | $28,170 | 2,680 |
| Louisiana | $27,460 | 2,950 |
| Mississippi | $27,190 | 1,420 |
How to become a laundry attendant
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement. It also lists no work experience in a related occupation and short-term on-the-job training[7]. O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2[16], where very little to some preparation is needed. Some jobs in that group need little or no previous experience, and others need several months to a year[16].
- First: apply for a position. No degree or related experience is typical[7].
- Then: learn on the job. The typical training is short-term[7].
The facts we use here do not say how long the training lasts or whether any license or certification is needed.
What laundry and dry-cleaning workers do
O*NET describes the job as running or tending washing or dry-cleaning machines for industrial or household items such as garments, linens, blankets, rugs and carpets. It includes spotters and dyers[17]. Typical tasks include:
- Running extractors and dryers[18]
- Loading items into washers or dry-cleaning machines and taking them out[18]
- Sorting, counting, folding, wrapping or hanging items after drying[18]
- Starting machines and setting valves or levers to control soap, water, bleach, starch and other additives[18]
- Sorting items into lots by color, fabric, dirt and cleaning method[18]
- Cleaning machine filters and lubricating equipment[18]
- Choosing spotting methods and solvents based on the fabric and the stain, then treating stains[18]
- Inspecting soiled items to find the source of stains and items that need special care[18]
Job titles reported by workers include laundry attendant, laundry aide, dry cleaner and industrial laundry attendant[19].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment of laundry and dry-cleaning workers to grow 4.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 204,900 to 213,700 jobs, a gain of 8,700[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[3].
BLS expects about 28,200 openings a year on average from 2025 to 2035[6]. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 7.1% of workers are expected to leave the labor force and 6% to move to a different occupation[20].
The OEWS count of about 198,040 jobs covers wage and salary jobs only, while the projection counts include self-employed workers[21][2]. About 2.5% of these workers were self-employed in 2025[22].
Is it a good fit?
The facts describe a job with a low barrier to entry. BLS lists no formal credential, no related experience and short-term on-the-job training[7]. Pay was below the all-occupations median[1][5]. Growth is a little above the all-occupations rate[2][3], and many openings come up each year as workers leave or change jobs[6][20].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a laundry attendant make an hour?
- The median was $16.78 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $16.79[1][8]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $13.19 an hour, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $20.77[10].
- What education do you need to be a laundry attendant?
- BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement, with short-term on-the-job training[7].
- Is laundry and dry-cleaning work in demand?
- Employment is projected to grow 4.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[2][3]. About 28,200 openings a year are expected, including replacements[6].
- What is the highest paying state for laundry attendants?
- Washington had the highest median annual wage at $39,590, followed by Oregon at $37,800[12].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers in the US was $34,890 per year and $16.78 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers is projected to grow 4.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 204,900 to 213,700 jobs (a change of +8,700). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers: 10th percentile $27,440, 25th percentile $30,360, 75th percentile $37,560, 90th percentile $43,190. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 28,200 openings for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers was $34,920 per year and $16.79 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers: 10th percentile $13.19, 25th percentile $14.60, 75th percentile $18.06, 90th percentile $20.77. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers jobs: California 21,940; Texas 17,030; Florida 14,150; New York 13,020; Illinois 8,550. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $44,410; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $43,610; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $43,310; Napa, CA $42,600; Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $41,080; Bismarck, ND $39,760; Vallejo, CA $39,680; Boulder, CO $39,430. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 14,040 (median $35,910); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 9,230 (median $37,330); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 6,330 (median $35,740); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 4,460 (median $33,330); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 4,360 (median $32,420); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 4,340 (median $29,260). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- O*NET 51-6011.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET description of Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 51-6011.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Dry Cleaner, Industrial Laundry Attendant, Laundry Aide, Laundry Assistant, Laundry Attendant, Laundry Housekeeper, Laundry Technician (Laundry Tech), Laundry Worker. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers: 7.1% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 198,040 people were employed as Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: 2.5% of Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
This page includes information from the 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. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.