Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Production · SOC 51-6011 · O*NET 51-6011.00
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.
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers fall under the Production category in the U.S. occupational classification. Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers earn a median salary of $33,800 per year, ranking in the top 98% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +5.4% job growth through 2034, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Entry into this field typically requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do laundry and dry-cleaning workers earn?
The median annual wage for laundry and dry-cleaning workers is $33,800. That puts laundry and dry-cleaning workers at #792 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $26,270 |
| 25th percentile | $29,530 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $33,800 |
| 75th percentile | $36,760 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $42,370 |
| Median hourly wage | $16.25/hr |
Is laundry and dry-cleaning workers a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for laundry and dry-cleaning workers is +5.4%, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 202K positions in 2024 to 213K in 2034, a net change of 11K. Average growth signals a healthy, resilient occupation that mirrors broader U.S. employment trends. Job availability tends to track regional economic conditions.
What do laundry and dry-cleaning workers do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working laundry and dry-cleaning workers, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Sort and count articles removed from dryers, and fold, wrap, or hang them.
- 2.Load articles into washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to perform loading.
- 3.Operate extractors and driers, or direct their operation.
- 4.Clean machine filters, and lubricate equipment.
- 5.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.
- 6.Remove items from washers or dry-cleaning machines, or direct other workers to do so.
- 7.Examine and sort into lots articles to be cleaned, according to color, fabric, dirt content, and cleaning technique required.
- 8.Receive and mark articles for laundry or dry cleaning with identifying code numbers or names, using hand or machine markers.
Top skills for laundry and dry-cleaning workers
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become laundry and dry-cleaning worker?
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers typically enter the field through a formal apprenticeship, technical certification, or vocational training program — a strong fit for teens who prefer hands-on learning over traditional college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about laundry and dry-cleaning workers
What is the median salary for laundry and dry-cleaning workers?
The median annual salary for laundry and dry-cleaning workers is $33,800 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is laundry and dry-cleaning workers a growing career?
BLS projects +5.4% growth for laundry and dry-cleaning workers from 2024 through 2034, which is average growth projected to grow at roughly the US average.
What education does my child need to become laundry and dry-cleaning worker?
The typical entry path requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to laundry and dry-cleaning workers?
Related occupations within the Production category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.