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Sector

Careers in Laundry & Dry Cleaning

Laundry and dry cleaning provides garment care services โ€” a traditional service business with mostly on-site work and low credential requirements.

257K
U.S. jobs
In this sector
$41K
Median salary
Across all roles
Laundry & Dry Cleaning jobs by metro area
Bubble size = total employment
Laundry & Dry Cleaning employment by metro ยท ~393 areas
1.New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ6K
2.Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA5K
3.Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN3K
4.Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX3K
5.Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL2K

Jobs per 100K workforce โ€” measures industry density

1.Valdosta, GA161.8
2.Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV129.2
3.Flagstaff, AZ118.8
4.Kahului-Wailuku, HI118.6
5.Bowling Green, KY106.2
BLS OEWS May 2024
Understanding this Sector
What it's like to work in Laundry & Dry Cleaning

Laundry and dry cleaning keeps wardrobes fresh โ€” there's satisfaction in quality service, customer relationships, and work that helps people present themselves well. Many find meaning in personal service.

The challenge can come from equipment costs and customer expectations. Dry cleaning equipment is expensive; margins can be thin. Customers expect perfection; garment damage creates liability. Hours include Saturdays. The industry has consolidated.

The field varies by service type and ownership. Dry cleaning differs from laundromats, commercial laundry, or wash-and-fold. Owner-operators have different economics than employees.

For those who thrive here, the rewards are genuine: customer relationships, relatively steady demand, business ownership potential, and essential service. If you want laundry industry careers, can handle customer expectations, and appreciate clean garments, dry cleaning offers neighborhood business opportunities.

How people break in

Accessible entry requiring minimal credentials. Equipment operation trained on-site. Management roles involve inventory, scheduling, and customer relations. Commercial sales roles exist for large accounts.

Work environment tends toward
Accessible entryPhysical workSchedule varietySmall business dominantCommercial accounts available
Salary vs. national average
-42%
$41K median vs. $71K national
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0K$16K$38K$150K$239K*387 metro areas across 50 states, sorted by salary level โ†’
Salary range across all laundry & dry cleaning roles
Where your dollar goes furthest
1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$85K
2. Boulder$74K
3. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$70K
4. Trenton-Princeton$67K
5. Durham-Chapel Hill$66K
BLS OEWS May 2024
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.

Median salaries range from ~$67K in mid-market metros to ~$96K in top-tier cities. But cost of living closes a lot of that gap โ€” metros with lower regional price parities often offer the best purchasing power.

Highest paying
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ยท $96K
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont ยท $83K
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria ยท $76K
Best purchasing power
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ยท $85K adj.
Boulder ยท $74K adj.
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria ยท $70K adj.
Most jobs
New York ยท 19.7M
Los Angeles ยท 13.3M
Chicago ยท 10M
BLS OEWS May 2024 ยท BEA Regional Price Parities

What the data says about this sector

Beyond salary and job counts โ€” signals that shape the day-to-day experience of working in Laundry & Dry Cleaning.

๐Ÿšช
Annual Quit Rate
Based on all Consumer Services data
26%
Higher than average turnover. This could indicate challenging conditions, seasonal work, or abundant external opportunities.
โ†‘ 4%vs. 22% all industries
๐Ÿข
Typical Employer Size
Small-skewed
Small businesses dominate. More variety in roles but less formal structure and benefits.
96%
Small
<50
3%
Mid
50โ€“249
0%
Large
250+
๐Ÿ 
Remote / Hybrid Prevalence
mostly_onsite
Many roles can be done remotely. Location flexibility is a realistic expectation.
Mostly on-siteHybrid commonRemote-first
๐Ÿ“‹
Credential Density
Low
Most roles don't require formal credentials. Skills and experience matter more than certificates.
Few credentialsSome requiredMany required
๐Ÿค
Union Presence
Based on all Consumer Services data
~6%
Minimal union coverage means compensation is individually negotiated. Know your market rate going in.
โ†“ 6%vs. 11% all industries
BLS JOLTS 2024 ยท BLS QCEW 2024 ยท O*NET Work Context ยท BLS Union Members Summary 2024
Career Tracks

Career tracks in Laundry & Dry Cleaning

How jobs in this sector break down by function, and what they typically pay.

Admin & Office
12%
$46K median
Explore โ†’
Sales
12%
$46K median
Explore โ†’
Transportation
9%
$40K median
Explore โ†’
Maintenance & Repair ยท Appliance repair, handyman services, and home maintenance. Customer-facing, flexible scheduling, entrepreneurial opportunities.
9%
$44K median
Explore โ†’
Business Operations
8%
$54K median
Explore โ†’
Food Service
8%
$44K median
Explore โ†’
Median salary for occupations employed within Laundry & Dry Cleaning. BLS OEWS May 2024.

Explore careers in Laundry & Dry Cleaning

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) ยท BLS JOLTS 2024 ยท BLS QCEW 2024 ยท O*NET Work Context ยท BLS Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034
Truest editorial: Industry narrative, sector context, career track mapping, working signals analysis.