35 Series · SOC 35-9021

Dishwashers Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$34,810
Median / year
+3.4%
2024→2025
$42,860
Top 10% earn
+0.2%
Growth '24–'34
477,450
Estimated US jobs

Dishwashers earn a median of $34,810 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $34,810, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $26,200 (10th percentile) to $42,860 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 477,450 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Washington ($40,080).

35 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Dishwashers earn a median of $34,810, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 1% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Food Preparation and Serving Related, it ranks #12 of 17 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 0.2% by 2034.

$34,810
Median annual wage
Top 99%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#12 of 17
in Food Preparation and Serving Related
1.6×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Washington at $40,080. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Dishwashers moved from $23,970 in May 2019 to $34,810 in May 2025 (+45.2%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Dishwashers sits +20.8 pp ahead of that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Dishwashers (SOC 35-9021) has a national median of $34,810 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $26,200 to $42,860, and the published mean is $34,310. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 477,450 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 54 state or territory areas and 521 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $33,670 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $34,810 in May 2025, a rise of $1,140 (+3.4%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +0.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as slower than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 76,800 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns No formal educational credential as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as short-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Washington pays the highest state median at $40,080, which is +15% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Kahului-Wailuku, HI at $45,930. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 477,450 jobs Median $34,810/yr

Median Salary

$34,810

per year

Median Hourly

$16.73/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$34,310

average

Employment

477,450

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Dishwashers pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$34,810 Bottom 1% higher than 1% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 (this entry) 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$34,810 · 1st percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 35-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Dishwashers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 17 35-series occupations with growth data, Dishwashers sits on the slower-growing side at +0.2% growth and $34,810 median pay. Scatter plot of 17 data points. $20000$30000$40000$50000$60000$70000 -20%-10%0%10%20% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Fast Food and Counte… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.1% · Median annual wage: $31200Waiters and Waitresses - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.7% · Median annual wage: $35230Cooks, Restaurant - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 14.9% · Median annual wage: $37390First-Line Superviso… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6% · Median annual wage: $44080Food Preparation Wor… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -3.4% · Median annual wage: $35320Bartenders - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.9% · Median annual wage: $34340Cooks, Fast Food - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -13.5% · Median annual wage: $30890Dining Room and Cafe… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.3% · Median annual wage: $33980Dishwashers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.2% · Median annual wage: $34810Cooks, Institution a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2% · Median annual wage: $37450Hosts and Hostesses,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.5% · Median annual wage: $31200Food Servers, Nonres… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3% · Median annual wage: $35360Chefs and Head Cooks - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 7.1% · Median annual wage: $62470Cooks, Short Order - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -5.6% · Median annual wage: $35880Food Preparation and… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.4% · Median annual wage: $35840Cooks, All Other - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.5% · Median annual wage: $37690Cooks, Private House… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.1% · Median annual wage: $47940
Among 17 35-series occupations with growth data, Dishwashers sits on the slower-growing side at +0.2% growth and $34,810 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Fast Food and Counte…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.1%, Median annual wage $31200
  • Waiters and Waitresses: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.7%, Median annual wage $35230
  • Cooks, Restaurant: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 14.9%, Median annual wage $37390
  • First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6%, Median annual wage $44080
  • Food Preparation Wor…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.4%, Median annual wage $35320
  • Bartenders: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.9%, Median annual wage $34340
  • Cooks, Fast Food: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -13.5%, Median annual wage $30890
  • Dining Room and Cafe…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.3%, Median annual wage $33980
  • Dishwashers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.2%, Median annual wage $34810
  • Cooks, Institution a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2%, Median annual wage $37450
  • Hosts and Hostesses,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.5%, Median annual wage $31200
  • Food Servers, Nonres…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $35360
  • Chefs and Head Cooks: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.1%, Median annual wage $62470
  • Cooks, Short Order: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.6%, Median annual wage $35880
  • Food Preparation and…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $35840
  • Cooks, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.5%, Median annual wage $37690
  • Cooks, Private House…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.1%, Median annual wage $47940

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+0.2%

Slower than average

Annual Openings

76,800

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+900

477,700 (2024) → 478,600 (2034)

Typical Education

No formal educational credential

On-the-Job Training

Short-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

0.6/100K

Injury Rate

2.4/100

Danger Index

9.9/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Dishwashers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Operation and Control 2.9
Coordination 2.8
Active Listening 2.6
Time Management 2.6
Speaking 2.5
Critical Thinking 2.5
Monitoring 2.5
Social Perceptiveness 2.5
Operations Monitoring 2.5
Quality Control Analysis 2.4

Knowledge Areas

English Language 3.2
Food Production 2.8
Education and Training 2.5
Customer and Personal Service 2.4
Public Safety and Security 2.3
Administration and Management 1.9
Communications and Media 1.9
Transportation 1.7
Production and Processing 1.7
Foreign Language 1.7

Key Tasks

  • Wash dishes, glassware, flatware, pots, or pans, using dishwashers or by hand.
  • Maintain kitchen work areas, equipment, or utensils in clean and orderly condition.
  • Place clean dishes, utensils, or cooking equipment in storage areas.
  • Sweep or scrub floors.
  • Load or unload trucks that deliver or pick up food or supplies.
  • Stock supplies, such as food or utensils, in serving stations, cupboards, refrigerators, or salad bars.
  • Clean or prepare various foods for cooking or serving.
  • Sort and remove trash, placing it in designated pickup areas.
  • Transfer supplies or equipment between storage and work areas, by hand or using hand trucks.
  • Receive and store supplies.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$26,200
25th$29,690
Median$34,810
75th$37,440
90th$42,860

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$12.59
25th$14.27
Median$16.73
75th$18.00
90th$20.61

Dishwashers pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$15,000$20,000$25,000$30,000$35,000$40,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $19,340National median - 2016: $20,800National median - 2017: $21,500National median - 2018: $22,730National median - 2019: $23,970National median - 2020: $25,270National median - 2021: $28,130National median - 2022: $29,080National median - 2023: $31,200National median - 2024: $33,670National median - 2025: $34,810$34,810
National median annual wage for Dishwashers, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $19,340
2016 $20,800
2017 $21,500
2018 $22,730
2019 $23,970
2020 $25,270
2021 $28,130
2022 $29,080
2023 $31,200
2024 $33,670
2025 $34,810

2015 median

$19,340

2025 median

$34,810

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$10,840 (+45.2%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+6.4%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Dishwashers by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $19,340 First banked release 505,000
May 2016 $20,800 +7.5% 506,450
May 2017 $21,500 +3.4% 503,540
May 2018 $22,730 +5.7% 504,770
May 2019 $23,970 Classification break 514,330
May 2020 $25,270 +5.4% 395,660
May 2021 $28,130 +11.3% 377,040
May 2022 $29,080 +3.4% 431,840
May 2023 $31,200 +7.3% 463,940
May 2024 $33,670 +7.9% 471,670
May 2025 $34,810 +3.4% 477,450

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $19,340 in May 2015 to $34,810 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +6.4% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 514,330 in May 2019 to 477,450 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 54 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Washington $40,080 +15% above national
2 District of Columbia $38,670 +11% above national
3 California $37,870 +9% above national
4 Colorado $37,840 +9% above national
5 Hawaii $37,740 +8% above national
6 Massachusetts $37,190 +7% above national
7 Illinois $36,180 +4% above national
8 Oregon $36,040 +4% above national
9 Vermont $36,010 +3% above national
10 New Jersey $35,900 +3% above national
11 Delaware $35,780 +3% above national
12 Maine $35,620 +2% above national
13 Connecticut $35,550 +2% above national
14 New York $35,450 +2% above national
15 Arizona $35,130 +1% above national
16 New Hampshire $34,960 same as national
17 Nevada $34,920 same as national
18 Minnesota $34,060 2% below national
19 Maryland $34,030 2% below national
20 Rhode Island $33,960 2% below national
21 Alaska $33,890 3% below national
22 Virginia $33,130 5% below national
23 Missouri $32,150 8% below national
24 Utah $31,830 9% below national
25 Michigan $31,300 10% below national
26 Florida $31,240 10% below national
27 Tennessee $30,530 12% below national
28 New Mexico $30,520 12% below national
29 North Carolina $30,340 13% below national
30 Montana $30,130 13% below national
31 North Dakota $29,980 14% below national
32 Pennsylvania $29,950 14% below national
33 Idaho $29,920 14% below national
34 Nebraska $29,740 15% below national
35 Georgia $29,730 15% below national
36 Virgin Islands $29,710 15% below national
37 Texas $29,610 15% below national
38 Wyoming $29,600 15% below national
39 Ohio $29,520 15% below national
40 Indiana $29,480 15% below national
41 Iowa $29,300 16% below national
42 South Carolina $29,160 16% below national
43 Wisconsin $29,070 16% below national
44 Kentucky $29,060 17% below national
45 Alabama $28,930 17% below national
46 South Dakota $28,190 19% below national
47 Kansas $28,060 19% below national
48 Arkansas $27,540 21% below national
49 Oklahoma $27,390 21% below national
50 West Virginia $26,460 24% below national
51 Louisiana $26,440 24% below national
52 Mississippi $26,300 24% below national
53 Puerto Rico $23,020 34% below national
54 Guam $21,030 40% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 390 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $45,930 +32% above national
2 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $43,960 +26% above national
3 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $42,750 +23% above national
4 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $42,100 +21% above national
5 Napa, CA $39,930 +15% above national
6 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $38,910 +12% above national
7 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $38,810 +11% above national
8 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $38,710 +11% above national
9 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $38,530 +11% above national
10 Vallejo, CA $37,910 +9% above national
11 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $37,750 +8% above national
12 Boulder, CO $37,750 +8% above national
13 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $37,710 +8% above national
14 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $37,580 +8% above national
15 Bellingham, WA $37,430 +8% above national
16 Kennewick-Richland, WA $37,400 +7% above national
17 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $37,380 +7% above national
18 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $37,350 +7% above national
19 Salinas, CA $37,350 +7% above national
20 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $37,290 +7% above national
21 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $37,250 +7% above national
22 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $37,170 +7% above national
23 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $37,110 +7% above national
24 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $37,070 +6% above national
25 Barnstable Town, MA $37,030 +6% above national
26 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $37,010 +6% above national
27 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $36,930 +6% above national
28 Longview-Kelso, WA $36,880 +6% above national
29 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $36,850 +6% above national
30 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $36,850 +6% above national
31 Modesto, CA $36,810 +6% above national
32 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $36,760 +6% above national
33 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $36,710 +5% above national
34 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $36,670 +5% above national
35 Worcester, MA $36,660 +5% above national
36 Bozeman, MT $36,470 +5% above national
37 Portland-South Portland, ME $36,440 +5% above national
38 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $36,410 +5% above national
39 Bend, OR $36,400 +5% above national
40 Urban Honolulu, HI $36,400 +5% above national
41 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $36,390 +5% above national
42 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $36,330 +4% above national
43 Yuba City, CA $36,220 +4% above national
44 Walla Walla, WA $36,110 +4% above national
45 Stockton-Lodi, CA $35,980 +3% above national
46 Yakima, WA $35,950 +3% above national
47 Pittsfield, MA $35,840 +3% above national
48 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $35,800 +3% above national
49 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $35,780 +3% above national
50 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $35,720 +3% above national
51 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $35,670 +2% above national
52 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $35,630 +2% above national
53 Hanford-Corcoran, CA $35,560 +2% above national
54 Springfield, MA $35,560 +2% above national
55 Flagstaff, AZ $35,530 +2% above national
56 Kingston, NY $35,510 +2% above national
57 New Haven, CT $35,470 +2% above national
58 Grants Pass, OR $35,410 +2% above national
59 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $35,360 +2% above national
60 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $35,360 +2% above national
61 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $35,350 +2% above national
62 Medford, OR $35,340 +2% above national
63 Manchester-Nashua, NH $35,290 +1% above national
64 Greeley, CO $35,240 +1% above national
65 Merced, CA $35,210 +1% above national
66 Ithaca, NY $35,170 +1% above national
67 Chico, CA $35,150 +1% above national
68 Fresno, CA $35,110 +1% above national
69 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $35,080 +1% above national
70 Salem, OR $35,070 +1% above national
71 Colorado Springs, CO $35,030 +1% above national
72 El Centro, CA $34,990 +1% above national
73 Naples-Marco Island, FL $34,980 same as national
74 Corvallis, OR $34,950 same as national
75 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $34,940 same as national
76 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $34,920 same as national
77 Redding, CA $34,900 same as national
78 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $34,820 same as national
79 Kansas City, MO-KS $34,800 same as national
80 Visalia, CA $34,750 same as national
81 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $34,640 same as national
82 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $34,600 1% below national
83 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $34,580 1% below national
84 Syracuse, NY $34,530 1% below national
85 Utica-Rome, NY $34,530 1% below national
86 Bangor, ME $34,490 1% below national
87 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $34,480 1% below national
88 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $34,470 1% below national
89 Ann Arbor, MI $34,440 1% below national
90 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $34,380 1% below national
91 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $34,350 1% below national
92 Pueblo, CO $34,350 1% below national
93 Lewiston, ID-WA $34,020 2% below national
94 Glens Falls, NY $34,010 2% below national
95 Albany, OR $33,960 2% below national
96 Coeur d'Alene, ID $33,890 3% below national
97 Rochester, NY $33,880 3% below national
98 Eugene-Springfield, OR $33,850 3% below national
99 Omaha, NE-IA $33,810 3% below national
100 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $33,800 3% below national
101 Santa Fe, NM $33,750 3% below national
102 Grand Junction, CO $33,730 3% below national
103 Columbus, OH $33,690 3% below national
104 Binghamton, NY $33,530 4% below national
105 Tucson, AZ $33,490 4% below national
106 Boise City, ID $33,470 4% below national
107 Vineland, NJ $33,400 4% below national
108 Champaign-Urbana, IL $33,330 4% below national
109 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $33,330 4% below national
110 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $33,280 4% below national
111 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $33,270 4% below national
112 Carson City, NV $33,220 5% below national
113 Reno, NV $33,190 5% below national
114 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $33,130 5% below national
115 Charlottesville, VA $33,090 5% below national
116 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $33,040 5% below national
117 Fairbanks-College, AK $32,900 5% below national
118 Rochester, MN $32,790 6% below national
119 Madison, WI $32,750 6% below national
120 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $32,670 6% below national
121 Elmira, NY $32,530 7% below national
122 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $32,220 7% below national
123 Springfield, IL $32,200 7% below national
124 Bismarck, ND $32,180 8% below national
125 St. Louis, MO-IL $32,180 8% below national
126 Jacksonville, FL $32,150 8% below national
127 Battle Creek, MI $32,080 8% below national
128 Decatur, IL $31,990 8% below national
129 Anchorage, AK $31,940 8% below national
130 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $31,940 8% below national
131 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $31,920 8% below national
132 Asheville, NC $31,860 8% below national
133 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $31,800 9% below national
134 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $31,780 9% below national
135 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $31,670 9% below national
136 Peoria, IL $31,610 9% below national
137 Niles, MI $31,580 9% below national
138 Rockford, IL $31,570 9% below national
139 Fargo, ND-MN $31,560 9% below national
140 Yuma, AZ $31,560 9% below national
141 Albuquerque, NM $31,540 9% below national
142 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $31,480 10% below national
143 Billings, MT $31,450 10% below national
144 Harrisonburg, VA $31,440 10% below national
145 Burlington, NC $31,410 10% below national
146 Bloomington, IL $31,390 10% below national
147 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $31,370 10% below national
148 Richmond, VA $31,370 10% below national
149 Raleigh-Cary, NC $31,300 10% below national
150 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $31,200 10% below national
151 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $31,200 10% below national
152 Dover, DE $31,200 10% below national
153 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $31,200 10% below national
154 Kankakee, IL $31,200 10% below national
155 Lexington Park, MD $31,200 10% below national
156 Salisbury, MD $31,200 10% below national
157 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $31,180 10% below national
158 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $31,160 10% below national
159 Ogden, UT $31,130 11% below national
160 Traverse City, MI $31,130 11% below national
161 Lexington-Fayette, KY $31,110 11% below national
162 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL $31,000 11% below national
163 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $30,940 11% below national
164 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ $30,880 11% below national
165 Jefferson City, MO $30,860 11% below national
166 Columbia, MO $30,780 12% below national
167 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $30,740 12% below national
168 Huntsville, AL $30,720 12% below national
169 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $30,690 12% below national
170 Mankato, MN $30,690 12% below national
171 Springfield, MO $30,680 12% below national
172 St. Joseph, MO-KS $30,550 12% below national
173 Port St. Lucie, FL $30,540 12% below national
174 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $30,520 12% below national
175 Logan, UT-ID $30,500 12% below national
176 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $30,470 12% below national
177 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $30,450 13% below national
178 Jackson, MI $30,420 13% below national
179 Midland, TX $30,420 13% below national
180 Missoula, MT $30,400 13% below national
181 Midland, MI $30,320 13% below national
182 Grand Forks, ND-MN $30,230 13% below national
183 St. George, UT $30,230 13% below national
184 Duluth, MN-WI $30,220 13% below national
185 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $30,130 13% below national
186 Ames, IA $30,110 14% below national
187 Punta Gorda, FL $30,100 14% below national
188 Lincoln, NE $30,060 14% below national
189 Odessa, TX $30,060 14% below national
190 Tallahassee, FL $30,040 14% below national
191 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $30,010 14% below national
192 Pittsburgh, PA $30,000 14% below national
193 Kenosha, WI $29,960 14% below national
194 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $29,900 14% below national
195 Wilmington, NC $29,870 14% below national
196 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $29,850 14% below national
197 St. Cloud, MN $29,830 14% below national
198 Morristown, TN $29,820 14% below national
199 Birmingham, AL $29,790 14% below national
200 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $29,770 14% below national
201 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $29,770 14% below national
202 Greensboro-High Point, NC $29,760 15% below national
203 Helena, MT $29,750 15% below national
204 Winchester, VA-WV $29,750 15% below national
205 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $29,740 15% below national
206 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $29,720 15% below national
207 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $29,700 15% below national
208 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $29,700 15% below national
209 Grand Island, NE $29,690 15% below national
210 Savannah, GA $29,680 15% below national
211 Jackson, TN $29,630 15% below national
212 Decatur, AL $29,620 15% below national
213 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL $29,590 15% below national
214 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $29,590 15% below national
215 York-Hanover, PA $29,590 15% below national
216 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $29,580 15% below national
217 Gainesville, GA $29,580 15% below national
218 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA $29,540 15% below national
219 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $29,540 15% below national
220 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $29,540 15% below national
221 Iowa City, IA $29,530 15% below national
222 Knoxville, TN $29,530 15% below national
223 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $29,530 15% below national
224 Paducah, KY-IL $29,520 15% below national
225 Waco, TX $29,520 15% below national
226 Farmington, NM $29,490 15% below national
227 Gainesville, FL $29,490 15% below national
228 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $29,480 15% below national
229 Bay City, MI $29,470 15% below national
230 Fayetteville, NC $29,470 15% below national
231 Spartanburg, SC $29,470 15% below national
232 Chattanooga, TN-GA $29,430 15% below national
233 Kokomo, IN $29,430 15% below national
234 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $29,430 15% below national
235 Akron, OH $29,390 16% below national
236 Dubuque, IA $29,380 16% below national
237 Appleton, WI $29,370 16% below national
238 Cheyenne, WY $29,370 16% below national
239 Cleveland, OH $29,360 16% below national
240 Hinesville, GA $29,320 16% below national
241 Cedar Rapids, IA $29,310 16% below national
242 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $29,310 16% below national
243 Toledo, OH $29,290 16% below national
244 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $29,250 16% below national
245 Sheboygan, WI $29,250 16% below national
246 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $29,230 16% below national
247 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $29,190 16% below national
248 Twin Falls, ID $29,190 16% below national
249 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $29,170 16% below national
250 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $29,160 16% below national
251 Lancaster, PA $29,140 16% below national
252 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $29,090 16% below national
253 Joplin, MO-KS $29,070 16% below national
254 Las Cruces, NM $29,070 16% below national
255 Minot, ND $29,070 16% below national
256 Idaho Falls, ID $29,050 17% below national
257 Winston-Salem, NC $29,050 17% below national
258 Flint, MI $29,030 17% below national
259 Eau Claire, WI $29,020 17% below national
260 Montgomery, AL $29,000 17% below national
261 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $28,980 17% below national
262 Lubbock, TX $28,970 17% below national
263 State College, PA $28,950 17% below national
264 Great Falls, MT $28,940 17% below national
265 Green Bay, WI $28,890 17% below national
266 Johnson City, TN $28,890 17% below national
267 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $28,890 17% below national
268 Ocala, FL $28,850 17% below national
269 Sebring, FL $28,810 17% below national
270 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $28,800 17% below national
271 Roanoke, VA $28,790 17% below national
272 Pocatello, ID $28,750 17% below national
273 Bloomington, IN $28,740 17% below national
274 Bowling Green, KY $28,740 17% below national
275 Mobile, AL $28,740 17% below national
276 Canton-Massillon, OH $28,730 17% below national
277 Fort Wayne, IN $28,710 18% below national
278 Casper, WY $28,690 18% below national
279 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $28,690 18% below national
280 Monroe, MI $28,670 18% below national
281 Lynchburg, VA $28,660 18% below national
282 College Station-Bryan, TX $28,640 18% below national
283 Wichita, KS $28,640 18% below national
284 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $28,630 18% below national
285 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $28,610 18% below national
286 Clarksville, TN-KY $28,600 18% below national
287 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $28,600 18% below national
288 Tulsa, OK $28,600 18% below national
289 Saginaw, MI $28,580 18% below national
290 Greenville, NC $28,560 18% below national
291 Killeen-Temple, TX $28,560 18% below national
292 Tyler, TX $28,560 18% below national
293 Homosassa Springs, FL $28,500 18% below national
294 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $28,500 18% below national
295 Columbus, GA-AL $28,490 18% below national
296 Lima, OH $28,480 18% below national
297 Evansville, IN $28,460 18% below national
298 Cleveland, TN $28,450 18% below national
299 Owensboro, KY $28,450 18% below national
300 Anniston-Oxford, AL $28,400 18% below national
301 Rapid City, SD $28,390 18% below national
302 Wichita Falls, TX $28,380 18% below national
303 Michigan City-La Porte, IN $28,330 19% below national
304 Oklahoma City, OK $28,310 19% below national
305 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $28,290 19% below national
306 Macon-Bibb County, GA $28,280 19% below national
307 Amarillo, TX $28,270 19% below national
308 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $28,230 19% below national
309 Albany, GA $28,200 19% below national
310 Columbia, SC $28,180 19% below national
311 Auburn-Opelika, AL $28,160 19% below national
312 Janesville-Beloit, WI $28,140 19% below national
313 Sherman-Denison, TX $28,140 19% below national
314 Gettysburg, PA $28,120 19% below national
315 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $28,110 19% below national
316 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $28,100 19% below national
317 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $28,080 19% below national
318 Sandusky, OH $28,040 19% below national
319 Mansfield, OH $28,020 20% below national
320 Warner Robins, GA $28,010 20% below national
321 Springfield, OH $27,940 20% below national
322 Topeka, KS $27,920 20% below national
323 Tuscaloosa, AL $27,900 20% below national
324 Athens-Clarke County, GA $27,870 20% below national
325 Elizabethtown, KY $27,870 20% below national
326 Wausau, WI $27,860 20% below national
327 Jacksonville, NC $27,810 20% below national
328 Jonesboro, AR $27,750 20% below national
329 Rome, GA $27,740 20% below national
330 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $27,690 20% below national
331 Terre Haute, IN $27,680 20% below national
332 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $27,670 21% below national
333 Reading, PA $27,650 21% below national
334 Dalton, GA $27,610 21% below national
335 Lawrence, KS $27,590 21% below national
336 Lebanon, PA $27,590 21% below national
337 Baton Rouge, LA $27,580 21% below national
338 Dothan, AL $27,560 21% below national
339 Gadsden, AL $27,540 21% below national
340 Rocky Mount, NC $27,540 21% below national
341 Valdosta, GA $27,540 21% below national
342 Muncie, IN $27,460 21% below national
343 Goldsboro, NC $27,400 21% below national
344 Corpus Christi, TX $27,300 22% below national
345 Florence, SC $26,970 23% below national
346 Altoona, PA $26,960 23% below national
347 Longview, TX $26,910 23% below national
348 Abilene, TX $26,880 23% below national
349 El Paso, TX $26,850 23% below national
350 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $26,830 23% below national
351 Sumter, SC $26,740 23% below national
352 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $26,720 23% below national
353 Victoria, TX $26,640 23% below national
354 Fort Smith, AR-OK $26,630 23% below national
355 Texarkana, TX-AR $26,510 24% below national
356 Youngstown-Warren, OH $26,510 24% below national
357 Morgantown, WV $26,490 24% below national
358 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $26,470 24% below national
359 Enid, OK $26,450 24% below national
360 Charleston, WV $26,440 24% below national
361 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $26,440 24% below national
362 Lawton, OK $26,390 24% below national
363 Erie, PA $26,300 24% below national
364 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $26,250 25% below national
365 Hattiesburg, MS $26,180 25% below national
366 Wheeling, WV-OH $26,180 25% below national
367 Jackson, MS $26,150 25% below national
368 Hot Springs, AR $26,110 25% below national
369 Chambersburg, PA $25,710 26% below national
370 Lafayette, LA $25,300 27% below national
371 San Angelo, TX $25,290 27% below national
372 Beckley, WV $25,150 28% below national
373 Lake Charles, LA $24,760 29% below national
374 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $24,600 29% below national
375 Hammond, LA $24,380 30% below national
376 Manhattan, KS $24,370 30% below national
377 Williamsport, PA $23,850 31% below national
378 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $23,670 32% below national
379 Laredo, TX $23,270 33% below national
380 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $23,170 33% below national
381 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $23,140 34% below national
382 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $23,130 34% below national
383 Alexandria, LA $23,010 34% below national
384 Arecibo, PR $22,710 35% below national
385 Mayaguez, PR $22,660 35% below national
386 Ponce, PR $22,370 36% below national
387 Monroe, LA $22,160 36% below national
388 Fond du Lac, WI $22,080 37% below national
389 Aguadilla, PR $21,840 37% below national
390 Johnstown, PA $21,430 38% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 35 (Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 16 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($34,810 here) and reported employment (477,450 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Dishwashers make?
The median annual salary for Dishwashers is $34,810 ($16.73/hour). The salary range spans from $26,200 at the 10th percentile to $42,860 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Dishwashers pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $34,810, Dishwashers pay is higher than 1% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Dishwashers the most?
Washington pays the highest median salary for Dishwashers at $40,080/year, which is +15% above the national median.
What education do Dishwashers need?
BLS assigns Dishwashers to No formal educational credential for typical education needed for entry. Typical on-the-job training assignment: Short-term on-the-job training.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Dishwashers?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Dishwashers in this release. WageDex shows the Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Dishwashers a good career?
Employment for Dishwashers is projected to grow 0.2% from 2024 to 2034, which is slower than average. About 76,800 openings are projected each year.
How does Dishwashers pay vary by state?
Dishwashers salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Washington at $40,080/year, while Guam pays the least at $21,030/year. BLS data covers 54 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Dishwashers?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Kahului-Wailuku, HI at $45,930/year. BLS reports a median for 390 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Dishwashers pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $37,440/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Washington leads at $40,080/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.