Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment
Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment (SOC 53-7061) earn a median $35,830 a year ($17.23 an hour) in the United States, with 380,430 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What cleaners of vehicles and equipment do
Cleaners of vehicles and equipment wash and detail vehicles, machinery, and other equipment. They rinse, scrub, and dry vehicles, clean and polish windows, and apply wax, polish, or paint protectants to restore or preserve the finish. In industrial settings they use scrapers, brushes, sprayers, abrasives, and chemical cleaners on machine parts and equipment, and they mix cleaning solutions and compounds according to formulas. They inspect parts, equipment, and vehicles for cleanliness, damage, and compliance with standards, and they keep inventories of supplies. Some drivers shuttle vehicles between the shop and customers' homes or workplaces. O*NET lists titles like aircraft cabin cleaner, automobile detailer, and apparatus cleaner. The code differs from janitors and building cleaners, who work on structures, and from automotive service attendants, who fuel and lubricate.
Typical entry: O*NET reports that most workers in this occupation have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Also called: Aircraft Cabin Cleaner, Aircraft Cleaner, Aircraft Detailer, Airplane Cleaner, Apparatus Cleaner.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.17 | $14.62 | $17.23 | $19.73 | $22.89 | $17.78 | 380,430 |
| Annual | $27,380 | $30,420 | $35,830 | $41,040 | $47,610 | $36,980 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where cleaners of vehicles and equipment earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $17.50 | $17.50 | $20.53 | $23.07 | $26.22 | $20.72 | 350 | 0.50 | 0.21 |
| Annual | $36,400 | $36,400 | $42,710 | $47,990 | $54,540 | $43,090 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $17.15 | $18.22 | $19.33 | $21.90 | $28.04 | $20.76 | 620 | 1.91 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $35,660 | $37,890 | $40,210 | $45,550 | $58,330 | $43,180 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $17.05 | $17.91 | $19.26 | $22.00 | $25.06 | $20.58 | 8,270 | 2.33 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $35,470 | $37,260 | $40,070 | $45,750 | $52,120 | $42,800 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $17.00 | $17.98 | $19.04 | $21.67 | $23.77 | $20.07 | 6,750 | 2.35 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $35,350 | $37,390 | $39,610 | $45,080 | $49,440 | $41,740 | ||||
| Vermont | Hourly | $15.34 | $17.89 | $19.01 | $22.10 | $23.68 | $19.96 | 620 | 2.04 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $31,920 | $37,200 | $39,530 | $45,970 | $49,250 | $41,530 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $16.77 | $17.40 | $18.23 | $21.53 | $23.60 | $19.72 | 46,030 | 2.53 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $34,890 | $36,190 | $37,920 | $44,790 | $49,090 | $41,020 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $11.02 | $13.13 | $14.16 | $17.26 | $20.88 | $15.35 | 37,750 | 2.68 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $22,930 | $27,310 | $29,450 | $35,910 | $43,430 | $31,930 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.61 | $14.15 | $16.05 | $17.68 | $21.70 | $16.70 | 24,920 | 2.51 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $28,310 | $29,430 | $33,380 | $36,780 | $45,130 | $34,730 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $16.17 | $17.08 | $18.94 | $23.66 | $34.70 | $21.95 | 20,390 | 2.11 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $33,640 | $35,530 | $39,390 | $49,200 | $72,180 | $45,660 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $15.00 | $15.29 | $17.27 | $21.85 | $26.92 | $19.49 | 16,350 | 2.68 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $31,810 | $35,930 | $45,440 | $55,990 | $40,540 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Grand Island, NE | Hourly | $14.74 | $16.61 | $24.19 | $24.19 | $24.19 | $20.87 | 460 | 11.64 | 4.76 |
| Annual | $30,660 | $34,540 | $50,320 | $50,320 | $50,320 | $43,410 | ||||
| Decatur, IL | Hourly | $15.00 | $17.72 | $23.74 | $26.58 | $27.09 | $22.84 | 150 | 3.22 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $36,860 | $49,370 | $55,290 | $56,340 | $47,510 | ||||
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | Hourly | $14.48 | $19.47 | $23.62 | $23.86 | $23.86 | $21.78 | 430 | 7.99 | 3.27 |
| Annual | $30,120 | $40,490 | $49,140 | $49,640 | $49,640 | $45,300 | ||||
| Longview-Kelso, WA | Hourly | $17.25 | $18.32 | $22.76 | $24.09 | $27.64 | $22.32 | 200 | 4.86 | 1.99 |
| Annual | $35,890 | $38,100 | $47,350 | $50,110 | $57,490 | $46,430 | ||||
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | Hourly | $14.58 | $17.44 | $21.36 | $22.36 | $22.66 | $19.73 | 520 | 6.96 | 2.84 |
| Annual | $30,320 | $36,270 | $44,440 | $46,510 | $47,130 | $41,040 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $16.84 | $17.60 | $19.97 | $22.35 | $34.70 | $21.94 | 19,280 | 2.03 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $35,020 | $36,620 | $41,540 | $46,490 | $72,180 | $45,620 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $16.99 | $17.43 | $18.05 | $21.34 | $22.95 | $19.39 | 15,950 | 2.54 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $35,340 | $36,250 | $37,540 | $44,390 | $47,740 | $40,340 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $15.00 | $16.50 | $17.59 | $22.39 | $26.92 | $20.06 | 12,030 | 2.67 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $34,330 | $36,580 | $46,570 | $55,990 | $41,720 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $12.93 | $13.63 | $15.07 | $17.85 | $21.66 | $16.32 | 9,970 | 2.46 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $26,890 | $28,340 | $31,350 | $37,120 | $45,060 | $33,940 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $11.15 | $13.37 | $14.26 | $17.35 | $21.20 | $15.52 | 9,020 | 2.74 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $23,180 | $27,810 | $29,650 | $36,090 | $44,090 | $32,280 | ||||
Top industries employing cleaners of vehicles and equipment
Automotive Repair and Maintenance employ 41.8% of cleaners of vehicles and equipment nationally (158,990 jobs) at a median $33,810 a year ($16.25 an hour), followed by Automobile Dealers (19.8%) and Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing (6.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive Repair and Maintenance NAICS 811100 | 158,990 | 41.8% | $33,810 | $16.25 |
| Automobile Dealers NAICS 441100 | 75,270 | 19.8% | $35,500 | $17.07 |
| Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing NAICS 532100 | 23,300 | 6.1% | $36,700 | $17.64 |
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings NAICS 561700 | 11,630 | 3.1% | $39,740 | $19.11 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing NAICS 311600 | 10,010 | 2.6% | $39,320 | $18.91 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (380,430). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $29,280 for cleaners of vehicles and equipment in May 2021 and $35,830 in May 2025, with employment of 351,960 and 380,430.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $29,280 | $14.08 | 351,960 |
| May 2022 | $31,000 | $14.90 | 359,530 |
| May 2023 | $34,150 | $16.42 | 365,290 |
| May 2024 | $35,270 | $16.96 | 373,960 |
| May 2025 | $35,830 | $17.23 | 380,430 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $20.53 | $42,710 | $36,400 | $54,540 | 350 | 0.50 | 0.21 |
| 2 | Alaska profile | $19.33 | $40,210 | $35,660 | $58,330 | 620 | 1.91 | 0.78 |
| 3 | Washington profile | $19.26 | $40,070 | $35,470 | $52,120 | 8,270 | 2.33 | 0.95 |
| 4 | Colorado profile | $19.04 | $39,610 | $35,350 | $49,440 | 6,750 | 2.35 | 0.96 |
| 5 | Vermont profile | $19.01 | $39,530 | $31,920 | $49,250 | 620 | 2.04 | 0.84 |
| 6 | New York profile | $18.94 | $39,390 | $33,640 | $72,180 | 20,390 | 2.11 | 0.86 |
| 7 | Massachusetts profile | $18.57 | $38,630 | $32,830 | $48,550 | 5,100 | 1.40 | 0.57 |
| 8 | Oregon profile | $18.30 | $38,070 | $33,160 | $50,540 | 5,550 | 2.82 | 1.15 |
| 9 | California profile | $18.23 | $37,920 | $34,890 | $49,090 | 46,030 | 2.53 | 1.03 |
| 10 | Minnesota profile | $18.07 | $37,580 | $30,950 | $47,690 | 4,460 | 1.51 | 0.62 |
| 11 | Hawaii profile | $18.06 | $37,560 | $31,670 | $53,510 | 1,180 | 1.89 | 0.77 |
| 12 | Delaware profile | $18.00 | $37,440 | $31,200 | $44,100 | 1,280 | 2.63 | 1.08 |
| 13 | Maine profile | $18.00 | $37,440 | $30,910 | $50,090 | 1,150 | 1.79 | 0.73 |
| 14 | New Hampshire profile | $17.99 | $37,420 | $30,200 | $48,120 | 1,030 | 1.52 | 0.62 |
| 15 | Kansas profile | $17.96 | $37,370 | $28,620 | $46,070 | 6,410 | 4.46 | 1.82 |
| 16 | Rhode Island profile | $17.95 | $37,340 | $31,200 | $51,990 | 780 | 1.55 | 0.63 |
| 17 | North Dakota profile | $17.93 | $37,290 | $30,130 | $46,190 | 1,330 | 3.09 | 1.26 |
| 18 | Nebraska profile | $17.87 | $37,160 | $30,060 | $50,320 | 4,570 | 4.46 | 1.82 |
| 19 | New Jersey profile | $17.83 | $37,090 | $32,220 | $46,440 | 9,930 | 2.32 | 0.95 |
| 20 | Montana profile | $17.55 | $36,510 | $29,330 | $46,800 | 1,490 | 2.91 | 1.19 |
| 21 | Maryland profile | $17.49 | $36,390 | $31,200 | $56,130 | 6,010 | 2.17 | 0.89 |
| 22 | Illinois profile | $17.27 | $35,930 | $31,200 | $55,990 | 16,350 | 2.68 | 1.10 |
| 23 | Iowa profile | $17.27 | $35,920 | $28,120 | $45,370 | 4,190 | 2.69 | 1.10 |
| 24 | Connecticut profile | $17.25 | $35,870 | $34,010 | $45,910 | 3,480 | 2.05 | 0.84 |
| 25 | Idaho profile | $17.13 | $35,640 | $26,440 | $44,430 | 2,840 | 3.31 | 1.35 |
| 26 | Arizona profile | $17.02 | $35,410 | $31,200 | $46,710 | 6,260 | 1.93 | 0.79 |
| 27 | Wisconsin profile | $16.96 | $35,280 | $26,270 | $47,370 | 7,040 | 2.39 | 0.98 |
| 28 | Ohio profile | $16.94 | $35,230 | $27,120 | $45,670 | 13,750 | 2.48 | 1.01 |
| 29 | South Dakota profile | $16.85 | $35,050 | $27,910 | $43,040 | 1,510 | 3.31 | 1.35 |
| 30 | Arkansas profile | $16.81 | $34,970 | $26,840 | $42,420 | 5,140 | 3.95 | 1.61 |
| 31 | Tennessee profile | $16.80 | $34,950 | $26,350 | $47,330 | 8,420 | 2.57 | 1.05 |
| 32 | Indiana profile | $16.80 | $34,940 | $26,980 | $47,920 | 7,520 | 2.35 | 0.96 |
| 33 | Utah profile | $16.78 | $34,900 | $28,450 | $45,090 | 4,580 | 2.64 | 1.08 |
| 34 | Missouri profile | $16.67 | $34,670 | $28,600 | $46,630 | 9,150 | 3.12 | 1.27 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania profile | $16.66 | $34,650 | $25,420 | $46,930 | 11,710 | 1.93 | 0.79 |
| 36 | Kentucky profile | $16.57 | $34,470 | $27,260 | $49,750 | 5,580 | 2.79 | 1.14 |
| 37 | Virginia profile | $16.56 | $34,450 | $27,540 | $47,500 | 8,860 | 2.16 | 0.88 |
| 38 | Nevada profile | $16.46 | $34,230 | $25,790 | $44,120 | 3,790 | 2.45 | 1.00 |
| 39 | South Carolina profile | $16.46 | $34,230 | $22,930 | $42,970 | 5,720 | 2.48 | 1.01 |
| 40 | Michigan profile | $16.29 | $33,890 | $25,960 | $45,140 | 10,320 | 2.34 | 0.96 |
| 41 | Wyoming profile | $16.29 | $33,890 | $27,340 | $42,600 | 720 | 2.57 | 1.05 |
| 42 | North Carolina profile | $16.09 | $33,470 | $22,530 | $44,520 | 13,820 | 2.80 | 1.14 |
| 43 | Florida profile | $16.05 | $33,380 | $28,310 | $45,130 | 24,920 | 2.51 | 1.03 |
| 44 | Oklahoma profile | $14.85 | $30,880 | $23,020 | $44,800 | 5,080 | 2.97 | 1.22 |
| 45 | Georgia profile | $14.72 | $30,610 | $23,880 | $46,130 | 12,180 | 2.49 | 1.02 |
| 46 | New Mexico profile | $14.57 | $30,310 | $26,860 | $41,140 | 1,820 | 2.09 | 0.85 |
| 47 | Texas profile | $14.16 | $29,450 | $22,930 | $43,430 | 37,750 | 2.68 | 1.10 |
| 48 | West Virginia profile | $14.13 | $29,390 | $23,920 | $36,730 | 1,260 | 1.80 | 0.74 |
| 49 | Alabama profile | $14.11 | $29,360 | $23,580 | $41,600 | 6,440 | 3.05 | 1.25 |
| 50 | Mississippi profile | $13.77 | $28,640 | $21,040 | $37,730 | 2,790 | 2.40 | 0.98 |
| 51 | Louisiana profile | $13.27 | $27,600 | $21,210 | $43,980 | 4,140 | 2.14 | 0.88 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (53-7060), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Transportation and Material Moving Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 53-7061 Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 53-7061, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-7061.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.