Salary guide, May 2025
Sanitation Technician 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.
Also searched as: Sanitor, Sanitation Crew Member. These titles share this page because BLS reports them under one occupation.
Closest proxy · SOC 37-2011 Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Sanitation Technician is shown within the broader published occupation. BLS does not separate this plant-specific title, seniority, shift, process or credential. Compare the duties with the SOC definition before using the range.
| 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 Technician
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 Technician, 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 how we judge practical qualification?
We ask the candidate to describe a full teardown and cleaning of one machine type. They name the order of steps, the verification method and the reassembly check. Then we ask how they handled a failed swab. A clear sequence shows training and habit.
We also ask about reading the safety data sheet for a chemical they have never used, because new products appear often.
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 Technician?
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 Technician at a plant?
Sanitation Technician is shown within the broader published occupation. BLS does not separate this plant-specific title, seniority, shift, process or credential. Compare the duties with the SOC definition before using the range. 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?
Sanitation Technicians are categorized under the SOC 37-2011 Janitors and Cleaners occupation. , 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. The middle-band width is $11,820.
, 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. The occupation does not distinguish between standard janitorial tasks and the technical rigor required in food safety.
Industry-specific national medians for this occupation highlight variations in sector compensation. Iron and Steel Mills report a median of $52,820, Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills report $48,740, and Nonferrous Metal Production reports $48,400. These figures are higher than the general occupation average, likely reflecting the more demanding physical and environmental conditions in heavy manufacturing sectors. For Sanitation Technician in U.S., OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Commissions and production bonuses are included; overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits are excluded.
Regional data shows that pay in high-employment metros often exceeds the national median. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ has a median of $42,840, a middle-band width of $14,480, and a location quotient of 1.36. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA shows a median of $38,720, a middle-band width of $10,550, and a location quotient of 0.93. The location quotients indicate that these metros have high concentrations of workers in this occupation. These statistics are based on broad aggregate data, so individual compensation will vary based on specific food safety responsibilities and the employer's unique technical requirements for the sanitation role.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
How do I justify higher pay given the occupation median?
Highlight your specialized technical responsibilities, such as managing chemical concentrations, LOTO safety, and allergen control. These tasks are significantly more complex than the general janitorial duties that drag down the median.
Does the $11,820 middle-band width account for experience levels?
The BLS does not track experience levels, but the bandwidth confirms that compensation varies across the occupation. This is where you can differentiate your specialized sanitation expertise.
Why are industry medians in manufacturing higher than the occupation median?
Manufacturing environments have stricter safety and technical requirements for sanitation workers. These sectors offer higher pay to attract personnel capable of handling such complex responsibilities.
Related recruiting or pay page · Related wage comparison 1 · Data methodology · Related wage comparison 3 · Related wage comparison 4