How much does a cleaner make?
a year · about $21 an hour
A typical cleaner in the United States makes $44,040 a year, about $21 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
This broad job includes different specialties. For example, a chimney cleaner covers the floor with tarps, inspects the flue, then brushes and vacuums soot while wearing goggles and a respirator.
Did you know? In the U.S., chimney soot can harden into a highly flammable glaze, and about 14,000 chimney and vent fires still happen each year.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $32,370 and $64,030How do you become one?
Most U.S. building cleaners need no college or related experience; they learn tools and safety on the job. Some cleaning work is allowed from age 14 under limits; hazardous jobs require age 18, and license rules vary by specialty and state.
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., experience, useful skills, and a certificate or license for some specialties can affect pay. It also varies with the employer and location, hours and shifts, and how difficult or specialized the cleaning is; a strong reputation can help self-employed cleaners find customers.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in New Jersey ($65,150), lowest in Louisiana ($28,260).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $32,370 | $44,040 | $64,030 | about 17,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $65,150 | — |
| New Hampshire | $64,480 | about 90 |
| New York | $61,580 | about 1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $60,660 | about 160 |
| Pennsylvania | $52,140 | about 750 |
Official definition: All building cleaning workers not listed separately.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes372019.htm
- www.bls.gov/emp/tables/education-and-training-by-occupation.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2010/summer/yawhat.pdf
- www.bls.gov/ooh/building-and-grounds-cleaning/print/janitors-and-building-cleane
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.iccsafe.org/building-safety-journal/bsj-technical/history-of-the-chimney-swe
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY