What Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment do
The U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET database describes the work of Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment this way: "Wash or otherwise clean vehicles, machinery, and other equipment. Use such materials as water, cleaning agents, brushes, cloths, and hoses."
The core tasks O*NET records for this occupation include: "Inspect parts, equipment, or vehicles for cleanliness, damage, and compliance with standards or regulations"; "Scrub, scrape, or spray machine parts, equipment, or vehicles, using scrapers, brushes, clothes, cleaners, disinfectants, insecticides, acid, abrasives, vacuums, or hoses"; "Mix cleaning solutions, abrasive compositions, or other compounds, according to formulas"; "Press buttons to activate cleaning equipment or machines"; "Clean and polish vehicle windows".
Education, experience and training
According to the BLS Employment Projections, the typical education needed to enter this occupation is no formal educational credential. Typical on-the-job training to reach competency is short-term on-the-job training.
Job outlook for Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment
The Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 419,500 jobs in this occupation in 2025 and projects 435,800 in 2035, an increase of 16,300 jobs (+3.9%). That is faster than the 3.5% projected for all occupations.
About 51,500 openings a year are projected on average, counting both new positions and positions vacated by workers who retire or switch occupations. Relative to today's employment that is 12.3% a year, against 10.3% for all occupations. 7.9% of workers in this occupation are self-employed; the wage figures below cover wage and salary workers. BLS lists a national median annual wage of $35,830, compared with $50,980 for all occupations.
Where Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment earn the most
Across the 6 states with published data, the employment-weighted average of local median wages for this occupation ranges from $29,657 in Texas to $39,918 in New York, a gap of $10,261 (1.35 times). 5 of those 6 states average above the BLS national median of $35,830 and 1 average at or below it.
California employs the most people in this occupation among the states covered, 45,470, which is 25.4% of the 179,040 counted across them. Texas follows with 36,890.
Highest-paying states
New York ($39,918), New Jersey ($39,784) and California ($38,314) lead the ranking, while Texas ($29,657) and Illinois ($35,901) are at the bottom. The table below lists every state with a link to its county-level detail.
Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment: pay against the cost of living
We compare 7 labor markets, each represented by its most populous county. After federal, Social Security, Medicare and state taxes and the four basics (a one-bedroom rental, food, home energy and gasoline), the largest yearly margin is in Lake County, IN (Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN) at $9,558. The weakest market is Kings County, NY, where the basics cost $7,059 more than take-home pay.
The median wage for this occupation covers all four basics in 5 of the 7 markets and falls short in 2. A one-bedroom apartment takes between 46.3% and 96.8% of take-home pay, depending on the market.
Occupations related to Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand, Stockers and Order Fillers and Packers and Packagers, Hand belong to the same detailed SOC group. Other occupations in the same SOC minor group (53-7000) include Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors and Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators.
Frequently asked questions about Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment
What is the national median wage for Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment?
BLS lists a national median annual wage of $35,830. Across the states covered here the average local median ranges from $29,657 to $39,918.
Which state pays Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment the most?
New York, with an employment-weighted average local median wage of $39,918. New Jersey is next at $39,784.
What is the job outlook for Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment?
BLS projects employment to grow by 3.9% between 2025 and 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations, with about 51,500 openings a year.
What education do Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment need?
The typical entry-level education is no formal educational credential and short-term on-the-job training, according to BLS.
Where can Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment afford to live best?
Among the markets covered, Lake County, IN leaves the largest yearly margin after taxes, rent, food, energy and gasoline: $9,558 on a median wage of $36,580.