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How Much Does a Dishwasher Make?

A dishwasher in the US earns a median salary of $34,810 a year, or $16.73 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $34,310, and the middle half earn between $29,690 and $37,440.

Median a year $34,810
Median an hour $16.73
Median a month $2,901
Average a year $34,310

Dishwasher pay range

What dishwashers earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $26,200 $12.59
25th $29,690 $14.27
Median (50th) $34,810 $16.73
75th $37,440 $18.00
90th (top 10%) $42,860 $20.61

The median is 32% less than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 477,450 people work as dishwashers in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$669
Every two weeks
$1,339
Twice a month
$1,450
A month
$2,901

At the median salary, before tax.

Dishwasher salary by state

Sorted by average pay. Washington pays dishwashers the most, at $41,510 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
Washington $41,510 $40,080 12,630 After tax
Hawaii $41,430 $37,740 4,520 After tax
District of Columbia $40,450 $38,670 3,580 After tax
California $39,710 $37,870 74,160 After tax
Massachusetts $39,100 $37,190 14,100 After tax
Colorado $38,000 $37,840 8,500 After tax
New York $37,740 $35,450 30,680 After tax
Connecticut $36,700 $35,550 7,340 After tax
Oregon $36,660 $36,040 6,680 After tax
Nevada $36,410 $34,920 11,360 After tax
New Jersey $36,390 $35,900 7,450 After tax
Maine $36,370 $35,620 2,940 After tax
Illinois $36,340 $36,180 16,250 After tax
Arizona $35,660 $35,130 10,120 After tax
Vermont $35,270 $36,010 1,280 After tax
Delaware $35,220 $35,780 1,520 After tax
Maryland $34,590 $34,030 9,310 After tax
Rhode Island $34,470 $33,960 2,790 After tax
New Hampshire $34,440 $34,960 2,370 After tax
Missouri $33,900 $32,150 7,200 After tax
Virginia $33,470 $33,130 12,520 After tax
Minnesota $32,970 $34,060 8,710 After tax
Alaska $32,500 $33,890 1,300 After tax
Florida $32,450 $31,240 40,480 After tax
Michigan $32,260 $31,300 11,510 After tax
Nebraska $31,860 $29,740 2,170 After tax
New Mexico $31,860 $30,520 3,250 After tax
Tennessee $31,700 $30,530 7,810 After tax
Idaho $31,540 $29,920 2,730 After tax
Utah $31,520 $31,830 3,650 After tax
Montana $31,350 $30,130 2,120 After tax
Virgin Islands $31,270 $29,710 150
Wyoming $31,200 $29,600 1,060 After tax
North Carolina $31,110 $30,340 12,050 After tax
North Dakota $30,710 $29,980 800 After tax
Ohio $30,470 $29,520 14,380 After tax
Georgia $29,950 $29,730 11,300 After tax
Pennsylvania $29,950 $29,950 19,570 After tax
South Carolina $29,770 $29,160 7,550 After tax
Texas $29,720 $29,610 33,630 After tax
Indiana $29,700 $29,480 7,000 After tax
South Dakota $29,220 $28,190 1,240 After tax
Kentucky $29,190 $29,060 4,890 After tax
Iowa $29,140 $29,300 3,290 After tax
Kansas $28,990 $28,060 2,480 After tax
Wisconsin $28,860 $29,070 8,190 After tax
Alabama $28,800 $28,930 3,540 After tax
Arkansas $28,580 $27,540 2,630 After tax
Oklahoma $27,280 $27,390 4,060 After tax
West Virginia $26,500 $26,460 1,640 After tax
Louisiana $25,960 $26,440 4,210 After tax
Mississippi $25,380 $26,300 2,880 After tax
Guam $23,960 $21,030 330
Puerto Rico $23,340 $23,020 1,820

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other food preparation and serving jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Dishwashers” (SOC 35-9021). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a dishwasher make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a dishwasher is $16.73, and the average is $16.49. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $12.59 an hour and the top 10% over $20.61.

How much does a dishwasher make a month?

At the median salary of $34,810, a dishwasher earns about $2,901 a month before tax, or $1,339 every two weeks.

Which state pays dishwashers the most?

Washington has the highest average pay for a dishwasher, at $41,510 a year. Next are Hawaii and District of Columbia. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a dishwasher?

The lowest-paid 10% of dishwashers earn less than $26,200 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $29,690. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid dishwashers make?

The top 10% earn more than $42,860 a year, and the top 25% more than $37,440.