Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers
SOC 51-6010
The median annual wage for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers is $31,050, based on BLS OEWS 2023 data. The mean annual wage is $31,880, and an estimated 185,000 workers are employed in this occupation nationally. Between 2020 and 2023, pay rose +21.9% while consumer prices rose 17.7% — a real change of +3.5% after inflation.
Wage Trend & Inflation Adjustment
How the national median wage for Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers has moved across BLS OEWS release years, and what each year's wage is worth in 2023 dollars after adjusting for CPI inflation. "Real" change strips out inflation — the truest measure of whether pay is actually rising.
| Year | Median (nominal) | In 2023 $ (real) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $31,050 | $31,050 | 185,000 |
| 2022 | $29,060 | $30,256 | 175,730 |
| 2021 | $28,350 | $31,879 | 157,400 |
| 2020 | $25,470 | $29,986 | 179,890 |
Nominal change
+21.9%
Inflation (CPI)
+17.7%
Real change
+3.5%
Wage Distribution (National, 2023)
10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages from BLS OEWS — the full spread, not just an average.
10th Pct
$23,670
25th Pct
$27,690
Median
$31,050
75th Pct
$35,460
90th Pct
$38,920
Related Occupations in Production
Other occupations in the same SOC major group, ranked by national median wage.