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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.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 207,710 | 1.4 % | $11.16 | $23,210 | 0.4 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $8.45 | $9.15 | $10.34 | $12.17 | $15.12 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $17,580 | $19,020 | $21,510 | $25,300 | $31,460 |
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 | 110,640 | 36.76 | $10.83 | $22,530 |
| Traveler Accommodation | 32,910 | 1.71 | $11.30 | $23,510 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | 22,410 | 1.37 | $10.94 | $22,750 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 8,310 | 0.15 | $12.92 | $26,880 |
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings | 7,520 | 0.36 | $11.45 | $23,820 |
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 | 110,640 | 36.76 | $10.83 | $22,530 |
| Traveler Accommodation | 32,910 | 1.71 | $11.30 | $23,510 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | 22,410 | 1.37 | $10.94 | $22,750 |
| Consumer Goods Rental | 2,020 | 1.25 | $11.01 | $22,900 |
| Facilities Support Services | 1,740 | 1.17 | $10.52 | $21,890 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Furnishings Stores | (8) | (8) | $17.33 | $36,060 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 1,090 | 0.05 | $17.28 | $35,950 |
| State Government (OES Designation) | 1,560 | 0.07 | $16.45 | $34,210 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | 340 | 0.13 | $14.52 | $30,190 |
| Offices of Physicians | 140 | 0.01 | $13.94 | $28,990 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 18,970 | 2.31 | 1.56 | $10.36 | $21,560 |
| California | 18,580 | 1.16 | 0.79 | $12.80 | $26,620 |
| New York | 15,600 | 1.72 | 1.16 | $11.69 | $24,320 |
| Texas | 15,060 | 1.28 | 0.87 | $10.55 | $21,950 |
| Illinois | 9,540 | 1.62 | 1.09 | $11.01 | $22,900 |
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 | 3,770 | 2.97 | 2.00 | $11.55 | $24,030 |
| Hawaii | 1,710 | 2.70 | 1.83 | $15.32 | $31,870 |
| South Dakota | 1,020 | 2.44 | 1.65 | $10.37 | $21,570 |
| Florida | 18,970 | 2.31 | 1.56 | $10.36 | $21,560 |
| Wyoming | 630 | 2.30 | 1.55 | $11.27 | $23,430 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 400 | 0.56 | 0.38 | $16.30 | $33,890 |
| Hawaii | 1,710 | 2.70 | 1.83 | $15.32 | $31,870 |
| Minnesota | 3,030 | 1.08 | 0.73 | $13.69 | $28,470 |
| Alaska | 400 | 1.25 | 0.84 | $13.53 | $28,140 |
| Washington | 3,130 | 1.02 | 0.69 | $13.05 | $27,150 |
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-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 12,680 | 1.93 | 1.30 | $11.68 | $24,280 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 6,310 | 1.50 | 1.01 | $12.01 | $24,980 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division | 6,000 | 1.65 | 1.11 | $11.25 | $23,400 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 4,090 | 1.60 | 1.08 | $10.46 | $21,760 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 4,000 | 3.42 | 2.31 | $10.84 | $22,540 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 3,640 | 1.88 | 1.27 | $11.98 | $24,910 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 3,420 | 1.17 | 0.79 | $10.21 | $21,240 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division | 3,310 | 1.33 | 0.90 | $11.32 | $23,550 |
| Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metropolitan Division | 3,130 | 2.78 | 1.88 | $9.93 | $20,660 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV | 3,030 | 3.24 | 2.19 | $11.91 | $24,780 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI | 380 | 5.18 | 3.50 | $15.72 | $32,700 |
| Rapid City, SD | 300 | 4.52 | 3.06 | $10.34 | $21,510 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC | 630 | 4.14 | 2.80 | $9.35 | $19,450 |
| Dothan, AL | 220 | 3.95 | 2.67 | $9.15 | $19,040 |
| Hot Springs, AR | 140 | 3.94 | 2.66 | $9.34 | $19,430 |
| Ocean City, NJ | 140 | 3.75 | 2.54 | $12.04 | $25,030 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | 250 | 3.57 | 2.41 | $10.10 | $21,000 |
| Pittsfield, MA | 140 | 3.53 | 2.39 | $11.62 | $24,180 |
| Abilene, TX | 230 | 3.53 | 2.39 | $10.78 | $22,430 |
| Dover-Durham, NH-ME | 180 | 3.43 | 2.32 | $10.96 | $22,800 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA Metropolitan Division | 1,220 | 1.15 | 0.78 | $17.98 | $37,390 |
| Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI | 380 | 5.18 | 3.50 | $15.72 | $32,700 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 980 | 2.12 | 1.43 | $14.88 | $30,960 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,660 | 0.87 | 0.59 | $14.73 | $30,650 |
| San Rafael, CA Metropolitan Division | 150 | 1.35 | 0.91 | $14.12 | $29,360 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | 510 | 3.06 | 2.07 | $14.07 | $29,260 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 660 | 1.85 | 1.25 | $14.03 | $29,180 |
| St. Cloud, MN | 160 | 1.57 | 1.06 | $13.97 | $29,050 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 180 | 0.96 | 0.65 | $13.90 | $28,900 |
| Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division | 1,430 | 0.90 | 0.61 | $13.81 | $28,730 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 610 | 3.13 | 2.12 | $12.68 | $26,380 |
| West Texas nonmetropolitan area | 530 | 2.75 | 1.86 | $13.10 | $27,240 |
| North Northeastern Ohio non-metropolitan area (non-contiguous) | 490 | 1.49 | 1.01 | $10.15 | $21,110 |
| North Texas nonmetropolitan area | 480 | 1.79 | 1.21 | (8) | (8) |
| Northern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | 370 | 2.28 | 1.54 | $11.06 | $23,010 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | 350 | 3.65 | 2.46 | $16.11 | $33,500 |
| Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | 250 | 3.48 | 2.35 | $9.45 | $19,650 |
| Northeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | 140 | 3.39 | 2.29 | $11.89 | $24,740 |
| West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | 200 | 3.34 | 2.26 | $9.95 | $20,690 |
| Southwest Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | 200 | 3.22 | 2.18 | $11.48 | $23,880 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | 350 | 3.65 | 2.46 | $16.11 | $33,500 |
| Far West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | 120 | 1.83 | 1.24 | $14.54 | $30,240 |
| East Central New York nonmetropolitan area | 30 | 0.98 | 0.67 | $14.39 | $29,940 |
| Central Washington nonmetropolitan area | (8) | (8) | (8) | $14.30 | $29,730 |
| Northeast Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 1.36 | 0.92 | $13.91 | $28,940 |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2016 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2016 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2016 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2016 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Last Modified Date: March 31, 2017