Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary in California
Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders in California earned a median of $45,150 a year ($21.71 an hour) and a mean of $46,330 in May 2025. The median is 3.7% above the U.S. median of $43,530, ranking 13th of 40 states and territories, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Median annual
- $45,150
- Median hourly
- $21.71
- Mean annual
- $46,330
- Jobs on record
- 2,450
Grey needle: U.S. median, $43,530 a year.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Confirm any figure on bls.gov/oes. Latest BLS release: May 2025, published May 15, 2026; checked November 10, 2026.
How does California compare on pay for cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders?
California ranks 13th of 40 states and territories. Maine is highest at $64,610, $19,460 more than the California median.
| State | Rank | Median | Against U.S. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 11 | $45,470 | +4% | 1,010 |
| Virginia | 12 | $45,330 | +4% | 140 |
| California | 13 | $45,150 | +4% | 2,450 |
| South Dakota | 14 | $44,770 | +3% | 60 |
| Michigan | 15 | $44,400 | +2% | 820 |
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025. Rank 1 is the highest median among 40 states and territories with a published figure. See every state.
Does California pay go further after prices?
Prices in California run 10.7% above the U.S. average, so the $45,150 median buys about what $40,779 buys at average U.S. prices, below the $43,530 U.S. median. On this measure California ranks 25th of 39, down from 13th before the adjustment.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. The adjustment divides pay by the state's price level.
Which areas in California pay cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders the most?
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA is highest at $53,400, 18.3% above the California median.
| Area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $53,400 | 120 |
| Napa, CA | $50,060 | 40 |
| Visalia, CA | $49,440 | 70 |
| Merced, CA | $47,540 | 80 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $47,360 | 90 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $46,390 | 210 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $46,370 | 30 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $45,310 | 50 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $45,110 | 230 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $45,060 | 700 |
| Fresno, CA | $44,910 | 170 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $44,520 | 90 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $44,420 | 120 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $42,330 | 40 |
| Modesto, CA | $41,420 | 170 |
| Salinas, CA | $38,690 | 30 |
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025. Every area BLS lists for this job in California is shown; an area that crosses state lines is listed under the first state in its BLS title.
How many cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders work in California?
BLS counts 2,450 jobs in California, 16.6% of the 14,760 in the U.S. That is the largest count among the 39 states and territories with a published figure. That is 0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in California, a location quotient of 1.42: the occupation's share of local jobs is 1.42 times its national share, so it is more concentrated here than in the U.S. as a whole.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025 and national file.
How does the California minimum wage compare with pay for cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders?
The 10th-percentile hourly pay for cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders in California was $18.26 in May 2025, $1.36 above the $16.90 minimum wage that applies there now. The pay figure dates from May 2025 and the minimum wage is the current rate, so the two are not from the same date.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, State Minimum Wage Laws, updated 2026-11-05; BLS OEWS state file, May 2025, 10th-percentile hourly wage.
Related jobs in California
Related occupations from O*NET; pay from BLS OEWS state file, May 2025.