Drycleaning and Laundry Services (except Coin-Operated) — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the drycleaning and laundry services (except coin-operated) industry earns $30,735 per year ($14.78/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Drycleaning and Laundry Workers Earn?
At $30,735/year (equivalent to $14.78/hour for a full-time worker), drycleaning and laundry services (except coin-operated) 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 drycleaning and laundry services (except coin-operated) business employs 6 people. These are mid-sized operations where payroll is a significant but manageable expense.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average drycleaning and laundry services (except coin-operated) business generating $391K/year with 6 employees at $30,735 each, total payroll represents roughly 47.2% 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 drycleaning and laundry services (except coin-operated)business, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $39,956/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 6 employees = ~$184,410/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $14.78/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $391K/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 Drycleaning and Laundry Services (except Coin-Operated) revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do drycleaning and laundry services (except coin-operated) employees make?
- The average drycleaning and laundry services (except coin-operated) employee earns $30,735 per year, which is equivalent to $14.78/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 drycleaning and laundry services (except coin-operated) industry?
- The drycleaning and laundry services (except coin-operated) industry employs 91,736 workers across 15,498 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 6 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).