Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

51-6011 Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers

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 estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
201,180 1.2 % $10.28 $21,380 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $7.85 $8.50 $9.46 $11.36 $14.15
Annual Wage (2) $16,320 $17,680 $19,670 $23,630 $29,430

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Drycleaning and Laundry Services 103,910 34.62 $9.93 $20,660
Nursing Care Facilities 30,170 1.81 $10.12 $21,050
Traveler Accommodation 28,010 1.65 $10.16 $21,140
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 11,060 0.21 $11.62 $24,180
Community Care Facilities for the Elderly 5,760 0.76 $10.20 $21,220

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Drycleaning and Laundry Services 103,910 34.62 $9.93 $20,660
Nursing Care Facilities 30,170 1.81 $10.12 $21,050
Traveler Accommodation 28,010 1.65 $10.16 $21,140
Consumer Goods Rental 1,590 0.88 $10.21 $21,230
Community Care Facilities for the Elderly 5,760 0.76 $10.20 $21,220

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 1,110 0.05 $17.00 $35,360
State Government (OES Designation) 1,610 0.07 $14.56 $30,280
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 430 0.02 $13.21 $27,480
Home Furnishings Stores (8) (8) $12.81 $26,630
Full-Service Restaurants (8) (8) $12.54 $26,090

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 18,610 1.33 0.85 $10.48 $21,800
Texas 17,170 1.67 1.06 $9.56 $19,880
New York 15,510 1.84 1.17 $11.39 $23,700
Florida 14,130 1.98 1.26 $9.46 $19,680
Illinois 9,250 1.66 1.06 $10.60 $22,040




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nevada 2,910 2.62 1.67 $10.49 $21,830
Hawaii 1,460 2.53 1.61 $15.24 $31,710
Montana 1,010 2.37 1.51 $9.52 $19,800
South Dakota 880 2.25 1.43 $9.84 $20,460
Oklahoma 3,010 2.01 1.28 $9.08 $18,890




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii 1,460 2.53 1.61 $15.24 $31,710
District of Columbia 540 0.84 0.54 $13.59 $28,270
Connecticut 1,720 1.07 0.68 $12.62 $26,240
Minnesota 2,900 1.12 0.71 $11.98 $24,910
Alaska 400 1.28 0.82 $11.94 $24,830





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 9,480 1.87 1.19 $11.61 $24,150
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 7,230 1.89 1.21 $10.10 $21,010
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 5,540 1.55 0.99 $10.86 $22,580
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 3,790 1.64 1.05 $10.58 $22,000
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 3,770 1.48 0.94 $9.42 $19,600
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 3,270 1.60 1.02 $9.12 $18,970
Nassau-Suffolk, NY Metropolitan Division 3,200 2.64 1.69 $11.17 $23,240
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 3,140 1.41 0.90 $9.70 $20,170
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 2,940 3.02 1.93 $9.75 $20,270
Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ 2,830 1.67 1.06 $10.20 $21,210