Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of cleaners of vehicles and equipment to grow 3.9% from 2025 to 2035 (about 16,300 more jobs), with about 51,500 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $35,830 a year ranks 788th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +3.9%
- Openings a year
- 51,500
- Median pay
- $35,830
- Pay rank
- 788th of 825
Is employment of cleaners of vehicles and equipment growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of cleaners of vehicles and equipment to rise 3.9% (about 16,300 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is about the same as the +4.3% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 50 transportation and material moving occupations with a projection. That change ranks 313th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 419,500 |
| Employment, 2035 | 435,800 |
| Projected change | +3.9% |
| Openings a year | 51,500 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 419,500 jobs here differ from the 380,430 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 51,500 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 77th most of 830 occupations. About 97% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 1,630 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for cleaners of vehicles and equipment rank?
The median of $35,830 a year ranks 788th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on openings and the lower half on pay.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: no formal educational credential.
- Typical on-the-job training: short-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machine Feeders and Offbearers | -13.1% | 4,000 | $41,220 |
| Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers | +4.3% | 1,000 | $61,770 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | +1.8% | 340,500 | $40,240 |
| Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | +4.3% | 28,200 | $34,890 |
| Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | +3.4% | 1,700 | $43,530 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | +2.2% | 321,800 | $36,840 |
| Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners | +7.8% | 2,800 | $49,880 |
| Maintenance Workers, Machinery | -1.9% | 4,400 | $60,850 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.