Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for laundry and dry-cleaning workers is $34,890, or $16.78 per hour. About 198,040 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $39,590 in Washington to $27,190 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $39,590 | $19.04 | 3,870 | 0.86 |
| 2 | Oregon | $37,800 | $18.17 | 1,890 | 0.75 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $37,790 | $18.17 | 320 | 0.36 |
| 4 | California | $37,790 | $18.17 | 21,940 | 0.95 |
| 5 | Colorado | $37,680 | $18.11 | 3,370 | 0.92 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $37,580 | $18.07 | 3,530 | 0.94 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $37,490 | $18.02 | 3,700 | 0.80 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $37,470 | $18.01 | 840 | 1.54 |
| 9 | Maine | $37,380 | $17.97 | 820 | 1.00 |
| 10 | Vermont | $37,300 | $17.93 | 280 | 0.73 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $37,230 | $17.90 | 650 | 1.02 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $36,860 | $17.72 | 890 | 1.02 |
| 13 | Arizona | $36,500 | $17.55 | 4,290 | 1.04 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $36,310 | $17.46 | 1,830 | 0.85 |
| 15 | Montana | $36,250 | $17.43 | 1,030 | 1.58 |
| 16 | Nevada | $36,210 | $17.41 | 4,540 | 2.30 |
| 17 | New Jersey | $36,050 | $17.33 | 6,110 | 1.12 |
| 18 | Alaska | $36,050 | $17.33 | 750 | 1.81 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $35,700 | $17.16 | 3,310 | 0.88 |
| 20 | Utah | $35,690 | $17.16 | 1,470 | 0.67 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $35,690 | $17.16 | 1,730 | 2.16 |
| 22 | Illinois | $35,220 | $16.93 | 8,550 | 1.10 |
| 23 | Idaho | $35,140 | $16.90 | 1,350 | 1.24 |
| 24 | Michigan | $35,100 | $16.87 | 4,970 | 0.89 |
| 25 | New York | $35,050 | $16.85 | 13,020 | 1.06 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $34,790 | $16.73 | 1,060 | 0.81 |
| 27 | Maryland | $34,710 | $16.69 | 3,780 | 1.07 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $34,060 | $16.38 | 6,290 | 0.81 |
| 29 | Iowa | $34,050 | $16.37 | 1,900 | 0.96 |
| 30 | Missouri | $33,870 | $16.28 | 3,930 | 1.05 |
| 31 | Delaware | $33,730 | $16.22 | 710 | 1.15 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $33,220 | $15.97 | 5,730 | 1.37 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $32,780 | $15.76 | 750 | 1.29 |
| 34 | Florida | $32,340 | $15.55 | 14,150 | 1.12 |
| 35 | Virginia | $32,140 | $15.45 | 4,900 | 0.94 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $31,920 | $15.35 | 5,570 | 0.89 |
| 37 | Indiana | $30,930 | $14.87 | 3,190 | 0.78 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $30,850 | $14.83 | 1,320 | 1.19 |
| 39 | Georgia | $30,580 | $14.70 | 5,150 | 0.83 |
| 40 | Ohio | $30,520 | $14.67 | 6,990 | 0.99 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $30,470 | $14.65 | 3,160 | 1.08 |
| 42 | Kansas | $30,120 | $14.48 | 2,160 | 1.18 |
| 43 | Texas | $29,630 | $14.25 | 17,030 | 0.95 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $29,220 | $14.05 | 2,350 | 0.92 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $28,970 | $13.93 | 1,340 | 1.50 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $28,630 | $13.76 | 690 | 1.94 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $28,460 | $13.68 | 1,640 | 0.99 |
| 48 | Alabama | $28,370 | $13.64 | 2,150 | 0.80 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $28,170 | $13.54 | 2,680 | 1.23 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $27,460 | $13.20 | 2,950 | 1.20 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $27,190 | $13.07 | 1,420 | 0.96 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do laundry and dry-cleaning workers make?
The median annual wage for laundry and dry-cleaning workers in the United States is $34,890, or $16.78 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $27,440, and the top 10% earn $43,190.
How many laundry and dry-cleaning workers are employed in the U.S.?
About 198,040 people work as laundry and dry-cleaning workers nationwide.
Which state pays laundry and dry-cleaning workers the most?
Washington pays the most at a median of $39,590, followed by Oregon ($37,800) and District of Columbia ($37,790).
Which state pays laundry and dry-cleaning workers the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $27,190.
Where are laundry and dry-cleaning workers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Nevada at 2.30×.