Dishwashers earn a median of $34,810 per year ($16.73/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to fall 1.0% through 2035, with about 68,900 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
- SOC 35-9021
- Food Preparation and Serving Related
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Dishwasher in four numbers
- Median pay
- $34,810a year, or $16.73/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $26KTop 10% $43K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -1.0%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−1%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −1% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 68,900480,400 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025480.4K
- Projected 2035475.6K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 480.4K Projected 2035 475.6K - Typical education
- No formal credentialneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school43.4%
- High school55.9%
- Some college0.7%
Highest education held by dishwashers Segment Value Less than high school 43.4% High school 55.9% Some college 0.7%
Also advertised as: Busser, Dish Machine Operator (DMO), Dish Room Worker, Dish Runner, Dish Technician (Dish Tech), Dishwasher.
Pay
How much do Dishwashers make?
Every dishwasher in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$34,810
Middle half earn $29,690 to $37,440
- 10th
- $26,200
- 25th
- $29,690
- 75th
- $37,440
- 90th
- $42,860
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $26,200 |
| 25th | $29,690 |
| Median | $34,810 |
| 75th | $37,440 |
| 90th | $42,860 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $34,810
- Median hourly wage
- $16.73/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $34,310
- People employed
- 477,450
Versus all US occupations
At $34,810, Dishwashers earn 32% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $16,170 a year.
Versus food preparation and serving related occupations
The median is typical for the Food Preparation and Serving Related group, where the middle occupation pays $35,360.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $42,860 or more while the bottom 10% earn $26,200, a gap of 1.6×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 1% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Washington pays the most at $40,080, and still leads at $37,453 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Dishwashers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Washington | $40,080 | $37,453 | 12,630 |
| 2District of Columbia | $38,670 | $35,186 | 3,580 |
| 3California | $37,870 | $34,203 | 74,160 |
| 4Colorado | $37,840 | $36,719 | 8,500 |
| 5Hawaii | $37,740 | $34,324 | 4,520 |
| 6Massachusetts | $37,190 | $35,166 | 14,100 |
| 7Illinois | $36,180 | $36,195 | 16,250 |
| 8Oregon | $36,040 | $34,868 | 6,680 |
| 9Vermont | $36,010 | $36,761 | 1,280 |
| 10New Jersey | $35,900 | $32,995 | 7,450 |
Job outlook
Is Dishwasher a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -1.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Dishwashers | −1% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Dishwashers to change -1.0% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 4,800 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 68,900 openings are projected each year, 14.3% of the 480,400 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Dishwasher
- 1
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as dishwashers.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)55.9%
- Less than a High School Diploma43.4%
- Some College Courses0.7%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 55.9% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 43.4% |
| Some College Courses | 0.7% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Dishwasher do?
Clean dishes, kitchen, food preparation equipment, or utensils.
Day-to-day tasks
- Sweep or scrub floors.
- Place clean dishes, utensils, or cooking equipment in storage areas.
- Maintain kitchen work areas, equipment, or utensils in clean and orderly condition.
- Wash dishes, glassware, flatware, pots, or pans, using dishwashers or by hand.
- Sort and remove trash, placing it in designated pickup areas.
- Clean garbage cans with water or steam.
- Stock supplies, such as food or utensils, in serving stations, cupboards, refrigerators, or salad bars.
- Clean or prepare various foods for cooking or serving.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes are not usually serious.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening2.6
- Speaking2.5
- Critical Thinking2.5
- Monitoring2.5
- Reading Comprehension2.0
- Learning Strategies2.0
- Active Learning1.9
- Writing1.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 2.6 |
| Speaking | 2.5 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.5 |
| Monitoring | 2.5 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.0 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.0 |
| Active Learning | 1.9 |
| Writing | 1.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operation and Control2.9
- Coordination2.8
- Time Management2.6
- Social Perceptiveness2.5
- Operations Monitoring2.5
- Quality Control Analysis2.4
- Judgment and Decision Making2.3
- Service Orientation2.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 2.9 |
| Coordination | 2.8 |
| Time Management | 2.6 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.5 |
| Operations Monitoring | 2.5 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.4 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.3 |
| Service Orientation | 2.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Operating system software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Dishwasher?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Dishwasher |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 1 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional4.5
- Social1.8
- Enterprising1.4
- Investigative1.0
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Dishwasher
O*NET related occupations
- Transportation and Material Moving
Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment
$35,830median a year
Most earn $27K to $48K
+3.9%No formal credential - Production
- Food Preparation and Serving Related
- Food Preparation and Serving Related
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper
$33,980median a year
Most earn $21K to $47K
+5.3%No formal credential - Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance
- Food Preparation and Serving Related
More food preparation and serving related careers
Median annual pay, with dishwashers highlighted
- Chef$62,470
- Food Preparation Worker$35,320
- Server$35,230
- Dishwasher$34,810
- Bartender$34,340
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper$33,980
- Barista$31,200
- Fast Food and Counter Worker$31,200
- Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$31,200
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Chef | $62,470 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,320 |
| Server | $35,230 |
| Dishwasher | $34,810 |
| Bartender | $34,340 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper | $33,980 |
| Barista | $31,200 |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $31,200 |
| Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $31,200 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Dishwasher appears on
Questions
Dishwasher: frequently asked questions
How much do Dishwashers make?
Dishwashers earn a median of $34,810 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 32% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $16.73/hr. The middle half earn between $29,690 and $37,440. The top 10% earn $42,860 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Dishwasher?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Dishwashers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 55.9% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Dishwasher a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 1.0% over 2025–2035, a loss of 4,800 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 68,900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Dishwasher do?
Clean dishes, kitchen, food preparation equipment, or utensils. A core O*NET task: sweep or scrub floors. Employers most often ask for Operating system software, Web page creation and editing software.
Which states pay Dishwashers the most?
The highest state medians for Dishwashers are Washington ($40,080), District of Columbia ($38,670), California ($37,870) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Dishwasher?
O*NET scores Dishwashers highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.