Salary guide, May 2025
Sanitation Lead pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners in the United States was $36,840 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $32,240 and $44,060.
Closest proxy · SOC 37-2011 Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
The Sanitation Lead title maps to the published occupation. BLS does not separate this process, credential, shift or plant-specific title from other work in the occupation.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $28,640 | $32,240 | $36,840 | $44,060 | $50,270 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $13.77 | $15.50 | $17.71 | $21.18 | $24.17 |
BLS estimated 2,209,760 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 37-2011 Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $34,180 | $29,570 to $37,490 | 41,890 | 1.05 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $34,800 | $30,460 to $36,620 | 18,460 | 0.9 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $34,590 | $30,130 to $36,990 | 21,620 | 1.08 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $34,980 | $29,210 to $39,780 | 7,310 | 0.69 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $42,840 | $36,740 to $51,220 | 183,030 | 1.36 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $42,840 | $36,740 to $51,220 | 183,030 | 1.36 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $34,860 | $28,680 to $38,720 | 48,360 | 0.84 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $38,470 | $36,360 to $45,730 | 70,000 | 1.09 |
Rank every metro for Sanitation Lead
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels. Nested NAICS rows overlap; they are not independent samples and must not be added together. Identical source rows repeated at different publication levels appear once.
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing (NAICS 324000)$48,320
- Primary Metal Manufacturing (NAICS 331000)$42,870
- Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing (NAICS 335000)$42,820
- Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing (NAICS 312000)$41,450
- Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing (NAICS 334000)$41,450
- Transportation Equipment Manufacturing (NAICS 336000)$40,880
- Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing (NAICS 327000)$39,880
- Machinery Manufacturing (NAICS 333000)$39,680
- Chemical Manufacturing (NAICS 325000)$39,100
- Food Manufacturing (NAICS 311000)$38,850
- Miscellaneous Manufacturing (NAICS 339000)$38,600
- Paper Manufacturing (NAICS 322000)$38,470
- Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (NAICS 332000)$38,420
- Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing (NAICS 326000)$37,860
- Wood Product Manufacturing (NAICS 321000)$37,060
Bars compare up to 15 non-overlapping 3-digit manufacturing subsectors with exact annual medians. More detailed scopes remain in the table, identified by code and publication level.
| NAICS / scope | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 · sector | Manufacturing | 66,400 | $35,060 | $38,770 | $45,550 |
| 311000 · 3-digit | Food Manufacturing | 29,170 | $35,400 | $38,850 | $45,760 |
| 311600 · 4-digit | Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 8,850 | $36,110 | $40,140 | $45,590 |
| 311800 · 4-digit | Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | 7,990 | $34,650 | $37,550 | $44,670 |
| 332000 · 3-digit | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 6,080 | $33,960 | $38,420 | $44,580 |
| 325000 · 3-digit | Chemical Manufacturing | 4,570 | $36,210 | $39,100 | $45,680 |
| 311900 · 4-digit | Other Food Manufacturing | 4,430 | $34,990 | $38,340 | $45,410 |
| 336000 · 3-digit | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 3,630 | $36,280 | $40,880 | $47,010 |
| 333000 · 3-digit | Machinery Manufacturing | 3,600 | $35,630 | $39,680 | $45,480 |
| 326000 · 3-digit | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 3,090 | $34,650 | $37,860 | $43,650 |
| 311400 · 4-digit | Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | 3,080 | $35,550 | $39,570 | $45,790 |
| 325400 · 4-digit | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 2,750 | $36,740 | $39,910 | $46,240 |
| 326100 · 4-digit | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 2,700 | $34,970 | $38,030 | $43,800 |
| 3330A1 · 4-digit | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 2,310 | $36,380 | $40,310 | $45,950 |
| 339000 · 3-digit | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 2,080 | $35,060 | $38,600 | $45,190 |
| 321000 · 3-digit | Wood Product Manufacturing | 2,030 | $32,460 | $37,060 | $42,470 |
| 3320A2 · 4-digit | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 2,020 | $34,780 | $38,420 | $44,710 |
| 332700 · 4-digit | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 1,910 | $32,460 | $38,140 | $43,880 |
| 3320A1 · 4-digit | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 1,750 | $34,390 | $38,820 | $45,250 |
| 311500 · 4-digit | Dairy Product Manufacturing | 1,670 | $38,780 | $45,380 | $52,160 |
| 332710 · 5-digit | Machine Shops | 1,660 | $32,010 | $37,870 | $43,830 |
| 312000 · 3-digit | Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 1,630 | $34,740 | $41,450 | $48,200 |
| 334000 · 3-digit | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 1,580 | $36,780 | $41,450 | $46,580 |
| 337000 · 3-digit | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 1,550 | $31,650 | $35,310 | $38,620 |
| 312100 · 4-digit | Beverage Manufacturing | 1,500 | $35,490 | $41,600 | $48,230 |
| 323000 · 3-digit | Printing and Related Support Activities | 1,500 | $32,100 | $35,710 | $41,130 |
| 323100 · 4-digit | Printing and Related Support Activities | 1,500 | $32,100 | $35,710 | $41,130 |
| 3370A1 · 4-digit | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 1,420 | $31,650 | $35,120 | $38,560 |
| 331000 · 3-digit | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 1,380 | $37,350 | $42,870 | $51,320 |
| 336300 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 1,220 | $36,570 | $39,510 | $44,180 |
| 335000 · 3-digit | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 1,190 | $37,290 | $42,820 | $48,500 |
| 321900 · 4-digit | Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 1,130 | $32,240 | $36,990 | $41,490 |
| 339100 · 4-digit | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 1,130 | $36,840 | $39,370 | $46,440 |
| 322000 · 3-digit | Paper Manufacturing | 1,110 | $34,800 | $38,470 | $45,830 |
| 311100 · 4-digit | Animal Food Manufacturing | 1,010 | $34,220 | $37,860 | $44,500 |
| 3250A1 · 4-digit | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 1,000 | $35,180 | $39,180 | $47,180 |
| 336400 · 4-digit | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 980 | $38,790 | $46,060 | $49,780 |
| 327000 · 3-digit | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 960 | $36,010 | $39,880 | $45,500 |
| 339900 · 4-digit | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 950 | $31,200 | $37,320 | $43,650 |
| 333500 · 4-digit | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 920 | $33,400 | $37,630 | $43,540 |
| 322200 · 4-digit | Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 900 | $34,640 | $37,540 | $43,680 |
| 311300 · 4-digit | Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | 860 | $36,080 | $43,520 | $48,550 |
| 3250A2 · 4-digit | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 820 | $35,990 | $37,680 | $42,790 |
| 311200 · 4-digit | Grain and Oilseed Milling | 760 | $35,490 | $39,530 | $47,000 |
| 334500 · 4-digit | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 740 | $36,760 | $43,040 | $47,770 |
| 336600 · 4-digit | Ship and Boat Building | 670 | $32,170 | $38,900 | $47,010 |
| 331500 · 4-digit | Foundries | 610 | $37,530 | $41,710 | $48,410 |
| 336200 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 610 | $34,730 | $39,150 | $45,640 |
| 334400 · 4-digit | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 540 | $36,400 | $39,920 | $44,820 |
| 335900 · 4-digit | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 540 | $37,820 | $44,680 | $51,560 |
| 311700 · 4-digit | Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging | 530 | $29,760 | $34,120 | $41,010 |
| 321100 · 4-digit | Sawmills and Wood Preservation | 490 | $32,170 | $36,770 | $44,500 |
| 335300 · 4-digit | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 420 | $36,170 | $41,600 | $46,520 |
| 321200 · 4-digit | Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | 410 | $33,580 | $37,500 | $43,960 |
| 326200 · 4-digit | Rubber Product Manufacturing | 400 | $32,160 | $36,680 | $41,400 |
| 332800 · 4-digit | Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 400 | $32,680 | $37,120 | $43,750 |
| 314000 · 3-digit | Textile Product Mills | 340 | $29,480 | $34,760 | $37,520 |
| 315000 · 3-digit | Apparel Manufacturing | 330 | $31,110 | $34,790 | $36,750 |
| 313000 · 3-digit | Textile Mills | 300 | $29,940 | $34,160 | $37,420 |
| 331200 · 4-digit | Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 250 | $36,870 | $42,870 | $54,040 |
| 331400 · 4-digit | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 250 | $40,540 | $48,400 | $56,260 |
| 332720 · 5-digit | Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 250 | $35,330 | $39,530 | $43,880 |
| 333300 · 4-digit | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 240 | $37,440 | $41,630 | $45,960 |
| 315200 · 4-digit | Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing | 230 | $32,010 | $35,290 | $36,780 |
| 331300 · 4-digit | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 220 | $35,930 | $40,690 | $45,760 |
| 322100 · 4-digit | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 210 | $40,750 | $48,740 | $60,860 |
| 314900 · 4-digit | Other Textile Product Mills | 200 | $28,930 | $33,730 | $40,530 |
| 316000 · 3-digit | Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | 170 | $28,080 | $32,590 | $38,550 |
| 334200 · 4-digit | Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 170 | $37,940 | $41,600 | $46,200 |
| 335200 · 4-digit | Household Appliance Manufacturing | 160 | $39,980 | $45,300 | $49,250 |
| 313200 · 4-digit | Fabric Mills | 140 | $30,780 | $34,610 | $38,130 |
| 314100 · 4-digit | Textile Furnishings Mills | 140 | $31,180 | $35,080 | $36,870 |
| 312200 · 4-digit | Tobacco Manufacturing | 130 | $30,040 | $36,170 | $47,090 |
| 333600 · 4-digit | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 130 | $35,000 | $39,150 | $45,560 |
| 337900 · 4-digit | Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing | 130 | $32,150 | $36,400 | $39,590 |
| 324000 · 3-digit | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 120 | $42,530 | $48,320 | $57,160 |
| 324100 · 4-digit | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 120 | $42,530 | $48,320 | $57,160 |
| 313100 · 4-digit | Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills | 110 | $27,890 | $32,010 | $35,240 |
| 316200 · 4-digit | Footwear Manufacturing | 90 | $23,880 | $32,010 | $35,750 |
| 336100 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 90 | $41,490 | $45,730 | $56,380 |
| 335100 · 4-digit | Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | 70 | $34,320 | $36,190 | $41,590 |
| 315100 · 4-digit | Apparel Knitting Mills | 60 | $26,370 | $30,000 | $35,990 |
| 331100 · 4-digit | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 60 | $43,160 | $52,820 | $52,900 |
| 339910 · 5-digit | Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing | 60 | $31,200 | $39,270 | $59,400 |
| 313300 · 4-digit | Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills | 50 | $30,110 | $34,950 | $43,370 |
| 316100 · 4-digit | Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing | 50 | $29,370 | $40,330 | $46,770 |
| 334300 · 4-digit | Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing | 50 | $37,830 | $40,460 | $45,470 |
| 315900 · 4-digit | Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing | 40 | $33,590 | $34,870 | $34,970 |
| 334100 · 4-digit | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 40 | $38,220 | $43,360 | $45,890 |
| 336900 · 4-digit | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 40 | $31,410 | $36,110 | $42,030 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Sanitation Lead, write the straight-time rate separately from shift coverage and extra hours. OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. It includes base rate, guaranteed pay, commissions and production bonuses. It excludes overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits.
An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure. Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $30,830 | $35,930 | $41,650 |
| May 2025 | $32,240 | $36,840 | $44,060 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about the decision behind the experience?
The useful evidence is a teardown or chemical-use decision checked against the approved procedure, not a list of equipment or projects. Discuss what information was available during a teardown or chemical-use decision checked against the approved procedure. A clear explanation exposes working leadership versus responsibility for the whole sanitation department much better than asking whether the candidate has held the title before.
What should you know about questions?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
What is the median pay for a Sanitation Lead?
The median annual wage for Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners in the United States was $36,840 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $32,240 and $44,060. This is the closest proxy BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $28,640. 90% earned less than $50,270.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
Is this the pay for a Sanitation Lead at a plant?
The Sanitation Lead title maps to the published occupation. BLS does not separate this process, credential, shift or plant-specific title from other work in the occupation. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 2,209,760 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
What does this data mean for your opening?
The Sanitation Lead role is mapped to the Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners occupation. National employment for this group is 2209760. For Sanitation Lead in the United States, releases are separate survey estimates. The May 2025 median is $36,840; the May 2024 median is $35,930. Their arithmetic difference is $910.
They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause. For Sanitation Lead in the United States, percentiles describe the wage distribution of the mapped occupation. The published middle interval is $32,240 to $44,060 annually. They do not assign pay to plant size, seniority, credentials or job complexity. Assess duties and candidate requirements separately; these rows do not measure a premium for them. Manufacturing Headhunters points out that these numbers cover a vast spectrum of janitorial roles and do not account for the specific chemical or food-safety leadership duties inherent in plant sanitation.
National industry benchmarks are $52820 in Iron and Steel Mills, $48740 in Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills, and $48400 in Nonferrous Metal Production. These national industry averages are distinct from the role median. Regional data for New York-Newark-Jersey City shows a median of $42840 and a location quotient of 1.36. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metro reports a median of $38720 and a location quotient of 0.93. The location quotient indicates employment density, not local wage rates.
Sanitation Leads must oversee teardown procedures and ensure compliance. Because the BLS pools everyone from building cleaners to plant leads into one category, the median of $36840 is an broad average. The P90 of $50270 shows the compensation potential for those in higher-complexity environments. For Sanitation Lead in the United States, percentiles describe the wage distribution of the mapped occupation. The published middle interval is $32,240 to $44,060 annually. They do not assign pay to plant size, seniority, credentials or job complexity. Assess duties and candidate requirements separately; these rows do not measure a premium for them. Hiring managers should rely on the upper quartiles for competitive offers, as the basic median is skewed by the large number of general cleaning staff in this SOC group.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
Why does the BLS include Sanitation Leads with janitors?
The BLS SOC system categorizes sanitation workers into the broader janitorial and cleaning category based on the cleaning nature of their tasks. This leads to the inclusive 2209760 total employment count.
Are the Iron and Steel industry figures applicable to sanitation lead pay?
They are national industry averages for the janitorial SOC code. While they show what those industries pay for janitorial staff, they do not specifically measure the Sanitation Lead role.
How do I interpret the location quotient for the New York area?
The location quotient of 1.36 means that the New York-Newark-Jersey City area has a high concentration of the janitorial and cleaning workforce. It is not a wage indicator for Sanitation Leads.
Related recruiting or pay page · Related wage comparison 1 · Data methodology · Related wage comparison 3 · Related wage comparison 4