Dry Cleaning and Laundry Workers
Overview
Introduction
Dry cleaning and laundry workers dry clean, wash, dry, and press clothing, linens, curtains, rugs, and other articles that are made from natural and synthetic fibers. This work is done for individuals, families, industries, hospitals, hotels, schools, and other institutions. In smaller laundries and dry cleaning plants, one worker may perform several different tasks. In larger plants, however, a worker usually performs only one job in the cleaning process. Some dry cleaning and laundry workers specialize in one or two aspects of the...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Entry-level pay for dry cleaning and laundry workers is often not much more than minimum wage. The U.S. Department of Labor reported a median salary of $31,050 for dry cleaning and laundry workers in May 2023. Earnings ranged from less than $23,670 for the lowest 10 percent to more than $38,920 for the top 10 percent. Fifty percent of dry cleaning and laundry workers earned between $27,690 and ...
Work Environment
Dry cleaning plants and laundries are clean, well-lit, and ventilated to remove fumes. The work is hot, however, even with adequate ventilation. Most laundry and dry cleaning workers are on their feet all day. In addition, lifting large bundles of clothing can be hard work.
Workers stand near machines whose noise and heat may be annoying. They may occasionally suffer burns from the hot e...
Outlook
Employment for laundry and dry-cleaning workers is expected to grow faster than the average for all careers from 2023 to 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. There will continue to be need for laundry workers in hotels, hospitals, and nursing homes, as well as in cleaners and dry cleaning retail establishments.
In the next 10 years, automation advances will cut the number of ...