Who Earns What

How much does a vehicle cleaner make?

US Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment
$35,830

a year · about $17 an hour

A typical vehicle cleaner in the United States makes $35,830 a year, about $17 an hour, below a typical US worker ($50,980) (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

What do they do?

They rinse and scrub a vehicle with soap, clean the windows, then dry and polish it. They may vacuum inside, wax the paint, and check for missed dirt or damage.

Did you know? Some vehicle cleaners use paintbrushes to clean plastic parts inside cars—much more detailed than just spraying a car with a hose.

Is that a lot?

Compared with jobs you know
This job$35,830
Typical worker$50,980
Elementary teacher$63,970
Doctor$244,180
Cashier$32,880

If 100 people had this job

Most earn between $27,380 and $47,610
54 of 100
more than half

How do you become one?

Apply for an entry-level wash or detailing job; employers teach you the tools, and some want a high-school diploma or GED. In the U.S., federal rules generally allow work from age 14, but under-16 workers face task and hour limits, and state rules may be stricter.

School needed: High school plus some training

Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized

Why does pay differ?

In the United States, experience and skill matter: detailers who polish or wax may do more specialized work than beginners. Pay also differs by employer and location; training or credentials an employer values can help, and extra hours or shift premiums can change total earnings.

Where does it pay most?

Highest in Alaska ($40,210), lowest in Louisiana ($27,600).

See every state
Whole US$35,830
Alaska$40,210
Washington$40,070
Colorado$39,610
Vermont$39,530
New York$39,390
Alabama$29,360
Mississippi$28,640
Louisiana$27,600

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

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Who earns more?
Data table and sources
Vehicle cleaner pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$27,380$35,830$47,610about 380,000
States where vehicle cleaners earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
Alaska$40,210about 620
Washington$40,070about 8,000
Colorado$39,610about 7,000
Vermont$39,530about 620
New York$39,390about 20,000

Official definition: Wash or otherwise clean vehicles, machinery, and other equipment. Use such materials as water, cleaning agents, brushes, cloths, and hoses. Excludes “Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners” (37-2011).

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

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY