Dishwasher salary in the U.S.
Dishwashers in the U.S. earn a median of $34,810 a year ($16.73 an hour), based on BLS data for 477,450 workers.
Pay ranges from $26,200 for the lowest-paid 10% to $42,860 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $34,310, close to the median.
Pay range for dishwashers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $26,200 | $12.59 |
| 25th percentile | $29,690 | $14.27 |
| Median | $34,810 | $16.73 |
| 75th percentile | $37,440 | $18.00 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $42,860 | $20.61 |
| Average (mean) | $34,310 | $16.49 |
Half of dishwashers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $2,900.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,450.42 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,338.85 |
| Weekly | $669.42 |
| Hourly | $16.73 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Dishwasher salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $40,080 | 12,630 |
| District of Columbia | $38,670 | 3,580 |
| California | $37,870 | 74,160 |
| Colorado | $37,840 | 8,500 |
| Hawaii | $37,740 | 4,520 |
| Massachusetts | $37,190 | 14,100 |
| Illinois | $36,180 | 16,250 |
| Oregon | $36,040 | 6,680 |
| Vermont | $36,010 | 1,280 |
| New Jersey | $35,900 | 7,450 |
| Delaware | $35,780 | 1,520 |
| Maine | $35,620 | 2,940 |
| Connecticut | $35,550 | 7,340 |
| New York | $35,450 | 30,680 |
| Arizona | $35,130 | 10,120 |
| New Hampshire | $34,960 | 2,370 |
| Nevada | $34,920 | 11,360 |
| Minnesota | $34,060 | 8,710 |
| Maryland | $34,030 | 9,310 |
| Rhode Island | $33,960 | 2,790 |
| Alaska | $33,890 | 1,300 |
| Virginia | $33,130 | 12,520 |
| Missouri | $32,150 | 7,200 |
| Utah | $31,830 | 3,650 |
| Michigan | $31,300 | 11,510 |
| Florida | $31,240 | 40,480 |
| Tennessee | $30,530 | 7,810 |
| New Mexico | $30,520 | 3,250 |
| North Carolina | $30,340 | 12,050 |
| Montana | $30,130 | 2,120 |
| North Dakota | $29,980 | 800 |
| Pennsylvania | $29,950 | 19,570 |
| Idaho | $29,920 | 2,730 |
| Nebraska | $29,740 | 2,170 |
| Georgia | $29,730 | 11,300 |
| Virgin Islands | $29,710 | 150 |
| Texas | $29,610 | 33,630 |
| Wyoming | $29,600 | 1,060 |
| Ohio | $29,520 | 14,380 |
| Indiana | $29,480 | 7,000 |
| Iowa | $29,300 | 3,290 |
| South Carolina | $29,160 | 7,550 |
| Wisconsin | $29,070 | 8,190 |
| Kentucky | $29,060 | 4,890 |
| Alabama | $28,930 | 3,540 |
| South Dakota | $28,190 | 1,240 |
| Kansas | $28,060 | 2,480 |
| Arkansas | $27,540 | 2,630 |
| Oklahoma | $27,390 | 4,060 |
| West Virginia | $26,460 | 1,640 |
| Louisiana | $26,440 | 4,210 |
| Mississippi | $26,300 | 2,880 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,020 | 1,820 |
| Guam | $21,030 | 330 |
Best-paying metro areas for dishwashers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $45,930 | 800 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $43,960 | 3,940 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $42,750 | 7,910 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $42,100 | 9,530 |
| Napa, CA | $39,930 | 590 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $38,910 | 340 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $38,810 | 1,160 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $38,710 | 4,530 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $38,530 | 7,790 |
| Vallejo, CA | $37,910 | 530 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $37,750 | 10,540 |
| Boulder, CO | $37,750 | 540 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $37,710 | 190 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $37,580 | 27,520 |
| Bellingham, WA | $37,430 | 310 |
Metro areas with the most dishwashers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 27,520 | $37,580 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 25,580 | $35,670 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 12,240 | $31,480 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 11,910 | $36,850 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 11,690 | $37,010 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 10,540 | $37,750 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 9,930 | $31,200 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 9,610 | $35,630 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 9,530 | $42,100 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 8,900 | $33,270 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 8,480 | $28,600 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 7,910 | $42,750 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 7,790 | $38,530 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 7,530 | $35,780 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 6,910 | $32,220 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $33,980 | $16.34 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $35,840 | $17.23 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $35,230 | $16.94 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $37,390 | $17.98 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $44,080 | $21.19 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,320 | $16.98 |
| Bartender | $34,340 | $16.51 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $30,890 | $14.85 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $37,450 | $18.01 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $35,360 | $17.00 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $62,470 | $30.03 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $35,880 | $17.25 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-9021. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a dishwasher make in the U.S.?
The median salary for dishwashers in the U.S. is $34,810 a year, or $16.73 an hour. Pay ranges from $26,200 for the lowest-paid 10% to $42,860 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid dishwashers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of dishwashers in the U.S. earn at least $42,860 a year. The top 25% earn $37,440 or more.
What is the starting pay for dishwashers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $26,200 a year, and a quarter of dishwashers earn $29,690 or less.
How many dishwashers work in the U.S.?
About 477,450 dishwashers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.