Jetted FoxCareers · Cleaning, sanitation & environmental
Janitors and cleaners
Clean and look after buildings such as schools, offices, hospitals and stores. No college degree needed.
Start now · nothing needed
Starting pay ranges from about $11.31/hr in Louisiana to $18.76/hr in Washington.
Pay in every state
| State | Start | 2 years |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $11.29–13.47/hr | $14.72/hr |
| Alaska | $13.64–17.12/hr | $19.48/hr |
| Arizona | $15.12–16.51/hr | $17.42/hr |
| Arkansas | $12.07–13.21/hr | $14.30/hr |
| California | $17.12–17.71/hr | $19.75/hr |
| Colorado | $16.42–17.73/hr | $18.56/hr |
| Connecticut | $16.42–17.05/hr | $18.25/hr |
| Delaware | $15–15.05/hr | $16.98/hr |
| Florida | $13.85–14.45/hr | $16.58/hr |
| Georgia | $12.55–14.07/hr | $16.50/hr |
| Hawaii | $14–14.94/hr | $18.13/hr |
| Idaho | $13.65–15.50/hr | $17.36/hr |
| Illinois | $15.17–17.14/hr | $18.18/hr |
| Indiana | $13.88–14.79/hr | $17.53/hr |
| Iowa | $13.70–14.56/hr | $17.01/hr |
| Kansas | $13.39–14.44/hr | $16.58/hr |
| Kentucky | $12.55–14.05/hr | $15.54/hr |
| Louisiana | $10.21–11.31/hr | $13.91/hr |
| Maine | $16.60–17.45/hr | $18.72/hr |
| Maryland | $15.31–16.62/hr | $17.61/hr |
| Massachusetts | $16.97–18.06/hr | $21.91/hr |
| Michigan | $14.11–15/hr | $17.33/hr |
| Minnesota | $14.79–17.33/hr | $19.04/hr |
| Mississippi | $10.33–11.41/hr | $13.64/hr |
| Missouri | $14.11–14.96/hr | $17.26/hr |
| Montana | $13.76–16.22/hr | $17.84/hr |
| Nebraska | $14.39–15/hr | $17.26/hr |
| Nevada | $13.16–15.12/hr | $18.47/hr |
| New Hampshire | $14.45–16.98/hr | $18.82/hr |
| New Jersey | $15.54–16.92/hr | $18.09/hr |
| New Mexico | $13.98–14.89/hr | $17.32/hr |
| New York | $16.61–17.48/hr | $20.02/hr |
| North Carolina | $12.37–14.06/hr | $16.59/hr |
| North Dakota | $14.81–17.05/hr | $18.15/hr |
| Ohio | $13.68–14.80/hr | $17.26/hr |
| Oklahoma | $11.12–13.55/hr | $14.96/hr |
| Oregon | $16.14–17.35/hr | $18.92/hr |
| Pennsylvania | $13.49–14.94/hr | $17.56/hr |
| Rhode Island | $15.11–15.98/hr | $17.94/hr |
| South Carolina | $11.29–13.49/hr | $14.99/hr |
| South Dakota | $13.93–15.03/hr | $17.06/hr |
| Tennessee | $12.85–14.22/hr | $16.08/hr |
| Texas | $11.28–13.34/hr | $15.87/hr |
| Utah | $12.10–13.67/hr | $15.48/hr |
| Vermont | $16.02–17.81/hr | $19.67/hr |
| Virginia | $13.60–14.44/hr | $16.91/hr |
| Washington | $17.82–18.76/hr | $21.89/hr |
| Washington, DC | $17.96–18.19/hr | $18.52/hr |
| West Virginia | $11.25–13.37/hr | $14.90/hr |
| Wisconsin | $14.23–16.53/hr | $17.79/hr |
| Wyoming | $13.90–15.59/hr | $17.33/hr |
Estimates, May 2025. Start = what the lowest-paid 10–25% earn; 2 years = the median. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it takes
Before you're hired
Once you're hired
A normal day
You work a shift, often evenings or early mornings, with a cart of supplies and a list of areas. You empty trash, clean restrooms, mop and vacuum floors, and handle spills and small repairs like changing bulbs. Most of the time you work alone or with one or two others while the building is quiet.
The good parts
About 321,800 US openings a year. School, hospital and government jobs often come with benefits. Leads to maintenance and supervisor jobs.
The hard parts
Cleaning restrooms and handling bodily waste is part of the job. Many jobs are night or early-morning shifts. On your feet all shift; the work repeats daily.
Where it leads
Housekeeping or janitorial supervisor (after 1–3 years). the cleaning job itself stays modest; it leads to lead custodian, building maintenance or supervisor roles.
Quick answers
Do janitors and cleaners need a college degree?
No. You can start now: nothing needed.
How long is the training for janitors and cleaners?
1–2 weeks of paid training at work.
How much do janitors and cleaners make?
About $13.77–15.50 an hour to start and $17.71 an hour at the median across the US (May 2025).
Is it a fit for you?
Answer a few questions and see your paths. Free, about 7 minutes.
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Maids and housekeeping cleaners
Last updated October 13, 2026. Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Jobs: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Training, costs and requirements: Jetted Fox research (estimates). This site includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Jetted Fox has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Facts, not advice.