Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Career, Salary and Skills
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $34,890 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 198,040. Wage data is published for 417 locations.
Occupation description
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.
O*NET code
51-6011.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
Not recorded
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$34,890
Hourly median
$16.78
Employment
198,040
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 2.88 | 2.25 |
| Operation and Control | 2.88 | 2.38 |
| Monitoring | 2.88 | 2.38 |
| Time Management | 2.75 | 2.25 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.75 | 2.25 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.75 | 2.38 |
| Speaking | 2.62 | 2.00 |
| Coordination | 2.62 | 2.12 |
| Operations Monitoring | 2.62 | 2.25 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.50 | 2.25 |
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Operate extractors and driers, or direct their operation.
Technology
- Cents
- Curbside Laundries Wash and Fold POS Software
- Email software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Word
- Property management system PMS software
- Sales processing software
- Wash-Dry-Fold POS
- Web browser software
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary in CAMedian $37,790 · Employment 21,940
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary in TXMedian $29,630 · Employment 17,030
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary in FLMedian $32,340 · Employment 14,150
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary in New York, NYMedian $35,910 · Employment 14,040
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary in NYMedian $35,050 · Employment 13,020
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $37,330 · Employment 9,230
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary in ILMedian $35,220 · Employment 8,550
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary in OHMedian $30,520 · Employment 6,990
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $35,740 · Employment 6,330
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary in PAMedian $34,060 · Employment 6,290
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary in NJMedian $36,050 · Employment 6,110
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary in TNMedian $33,220 · Employment 5,730
Related careers
- DishwashersNational median $34,810
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNational median $40,240
- Furniture FinishersNational median $44,540
- Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and TendersNational median $46,460
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and PlasticNational median $46,170
- Helpers--Production WorkersNational median $39,070
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, HandNational median $42,660
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersNational median $36,840
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.