Car Washes — Average Employee Salary

The average employee in the car washes industry earns $31,171 per year ($14.99/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.

$31,171
Avg Annual Pay
182,694
Total Employees
19,151
Total Establishments
10
Avg Employees/Business

What Do Car Washes Workers Earn?

At $31,171/year (equivalent to $14.99/hour for a full-time worker), car washes wages are below the national average of ~$65,000.

Lower wages in this industry are common in service-oriented or retail-adjacent sectors where entry barriers are lower. This can be an advantage for business owners managing payroll costs, but may contribute to higher turnover.

The typical car washes business employs 10 people. These are mid-sized operations where payroll is a significant but manageable expense.

Wages as a Percentage of Revenue

45.7%

For the average car washes business generating $682K/year with 10 employees at $31,171 each, total payroll represents roughly 45.7% of revenue. Labor is a significant cost but leaves room for other expenses and profit.

What This Means for Business Owners

If you're starting or running a car washesbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:

  • Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $40,522/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
  • Typical team size: 10 employees = ~$311,710/year in base payroll.
  • Hourly equivalent: $14.99/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
  • Revenue needed: With average revenue of $682K/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.

See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.

View full Car Washes revenue benchmarks →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do car washes employees make?
The average car washes employee earns $31,171 per year, which is equivalent to $14.99/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is below the national average of approximately $65,000.
How many people work in the car washes industry?
The car washes industry employs 182,694 workers across 19,151 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 10 employees.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).