The median hourly wage for janitors and building cleaners was $11.27 in May 2015.
The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $8.44, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $18.91.
In May 2015, the median hourly wages for janitors and building cleaners in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
Elementary and secondary schools; state, local, and private
$13.51
Healthcare and social assistance
11.52
Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations
10.87
Services to buildings and dwellings
10.25
Most janitors and building cleaners work full time. Because office buildings are often cleaned while they are empty, many cleaners work evening hours. When there is a need for 24-hour maintenance, as there often is in hospitals and hotels, cleaners work in shifts.
Janitors and Building Cleaners
Median hourly wages, May 2015
Total, all occupations
$17.40
Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
$11.27
Building cleaning and pest control workers
$10.93
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics