Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

51-6011 Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers

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.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
201,180 1.2 % $10.28 $21,380 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $7.85 $8.50 $9.46 $11.36 $14.15
Annual Wage (2) $16,320 $17,680 $19,670 $23,630 $29,430


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Drycleaning and Laundry Services 103,910 34.62 $9.93 $20,660
Nursing Care Facilities 30,170 1.81 $10.12 $21,050
Traveler Accommodation 28,010 1.65 $10.16 $21,140
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 11,060 0.21 $11.62 $24,180
Community Care Facilities for the Elderly 5,760 0.76 $10.20 $21,220

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Drycleaning and Laundry Services 103,910 34.62 $9.93 $20,660
Nursing Care Facilities 30,170 1.81 $10.12 $21,050
Traveler Accommodation 28,010 1.65 $10.16 $21,140
Consumer Goods Rental 1,590 0.88 $10.21 $21,230
Community Care Facilities for the Elderly 5,760 0.76 $10.20 $21,220

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 1,110 0.05 $17.00 $35,360
State Government (OES Designation) 1,610 0.07 $14.56 $30,280
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 430 0.02 $13.21 $27,480
Home Furnishings Stores (8) (8) $12.81 $26,630
Full-Service Restaurants (8) (8) $12.54 $26,090


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 18,610 1.33 0.85 $10.48 $21,800
Texas 17,170 1.67 1.06 $9.56 $19,880
New York 15,510 1.84 1.17 $11.39 $23,700
Florida 14,130 1.98 1.26 $9.46 $19,680
Illinois 9,250 1.66 1.06 $10.60 $22,040




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nevada 2,910 2.62 1.67 $10.49 $21,830
Hawaii 1,460 2.53 1.61 $15.24 $31,710
Montana 1,010 2.37 1.51 $9.52 $19,800
South Dakota 880 2.25 1.43 $9.84 $20,460
Oklahoma 3,010 2.01 1.28 $9.08 $18,890




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii 1,460 2.53 1.61 $15.24 $31,710
District of Columbia 540 0.84 0.54 $13.59 $28,270
Connecticut 1,720 1.07 0.68 $12.62 $26,240
Minnesota 2,900 1.12 0.71 $11.98 $24,910
Alaska 400 1.28 0.82 $11.94 $24,830





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 9,480 1.87 1.19 $11.61 $24,150
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 7,230 1.89 1.21 $10.10 $21,010
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 5,540 1.55 0.99 $10.86 $22,580
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 3,790 1.64 1.05 $10.58 $22,000
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 3,770 1.48 0.94 $9.42 $19,600
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 3,270 1.60 1.02 $9.12 $18,970
Nassau-Suffolk, NY Metropolitan Division 3,200 2.64 1.69 $11.17 $23,240
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 3,140 1.41 0.90 $9.70 $20,170
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 2,940 3.02 1.93 $9.75 $20,270
Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ 2,830 1.67 1.06 $10.20 $21,210




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Rome, GA 350 10.18 6.49 $8.79 $18,290
Wichita Falls, TX 260 4.63 2.95 $9.38 $19,510
Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC 490 4.45 2.83 $8.49 $17,650
Brunswick, GA 160 4.31 2.75 $8.66 $18,000
New Bedford, MA 250 3.97 2.53 $10.02 $20,850
Lawrence-Methuen-Salem, MA-NH NECTA Division 230 3.80 2.42 $10.33 $21,480
Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA NECTA Division 330 3.77 2.40 $16.18 $33,660
Pine Bluff, AR 130 3.75 2.39 $9.85 $20,480
Lima, OH 170 3.59 2.29 $9.41 $19,570
Amarillo, TX 360 3.29 2.10 $11.55 $24,020




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA NECTA Division 330 3.77 2.40 $16.18 $33,660
Rochester, MN 170 1.72 1.10 $15.38 $31,980
Honolulu, HI 780 1.83 1.17 $15.25 $31,730
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV 140 1.49 0.95 $13.38 $27,820
Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner, MA 40 0.79 0.50 $13.26 $27,590
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 520 0.95 0.60 $13.23 $27,520
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 410 1.00 0.64 $13.16 $27,380
St. Cloud, MN 140 1.46 0.93 $13.09 $27,220
Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, NJ 40 0.65 0.42 $12.79 $26,610
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division 1,350 1.41 0.90 $12.44 $25,880

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 750 1.97 1.26 $8.86 $18,430
Hawaii / Maui / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 680 4.47 2.85 $15.23 $31,680
Eastern Texas nonmetropolitan area 650 2.35 1.50 $10.12 $21,050
Northwestern Texas nonmetropolitan area 530 2.14 1.37 $10.30 $21,420
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area 440 2.35 1.50 $11.38 $23,670

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii / Maui / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 680 4.47 2.85 $15.23 $31,680
Eastern Sierra Region of California nonmetropolitan area 60 4.18 2.66 $11.26 $23,420
Northwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 400 3.82 2.43 $8.38 $17,440
Southwestern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 140 3.62 2.31 $9.85 $20,480
Northwest Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 90 3.38 2.15 $10.17 $21,140

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii / Maui / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 680 4.47 2.85 $15.23 $31,680
Gulf Coast Texas nonmetropolitan area 210 1.71 1.09 $13.24 $27,530
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 50 0.94 0.60 $12.86 $26,740
Northwestern Connecticut nonmetropolitan area 50 1.51 0.97 $12.74 $26,500
North Central Colorado nonmetropolitan area 200 2.83 1.80 $12.43 $25,850


About May 2011 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012