With 7,063 cleaning services establishments in the U.S. alone generating 4.1 million job holders in 2023, this post breaks down the HR and workforce numbers behind one of America’s fastest moving service sectors and what they mean for hiring, pay, compliance, and staffing.
Key Takeaways
- 7,063 cleaning services establishments in the U.S. (2022 Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, QCEW) for NAICS 5617
- 5.0 million people employed in the U.S. in NAICS 5617 (Accommodation & Food Services-related employment breakdown not applicable), QCEW series for Cleaning Services (2022)
- 4.1 million job holders in the U.S. in cleaning services (NAICS 5617) in 2023 (QCEW job holders series)
- Average hourly wage of $16.74 for maids and housekeeping cleaners in the U.S. (May 2023 OES, occupation 37-2012)
- Median hourly wage of $16.10 for janitors and cleaners (except maids and housekeeping cleaners) in the U.S. (May 2023 OES, occupation 37-2011)
- Median annual wage of $35,210 for janitors and cleaners (except maids and housekeeping cleaners) in the U.S. (May 2023 OES, 37-2011)
- In 2023, the U.S. minimum wage is $7.25 per hour (federal) affecting many entry-level cleaning roles
- The U.S. overtime threshold was $684 per week ($35,568/year) effective July 1, 2024 (salary basis rule that impacts supervisors/managers in cleaning firms)
- $16.00 per hour is the federal tipped minimum wage for tipped employees in the U.S. (not typical for cleaning, but relevant for some service models) per FLSA
- 15% fewer occupational injuries with proper training programs (meta-analysis effect size; training reduces injuries)
- 38% of employers report difficulty filling positions due to lack of available candidates (U.S. recruiting market tightness, affects cleaning staffing)
- The U.S. JOLTS job openings rate was 4.4% in June 2024 (BLS JOLTS, affects labor market for cleaning employers)
- The global cleaning services market was valued at about $500 billion in 2022 (industry estimate; see market report)
- The commercial cleaning services market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.3% from 2023 to 2030 (market outlook)
- The Europe commercial cleaning services market accounted for about 30% share in 2022 (regional breakdown estimate)
In the US, millions work in cleaning services, with wages around $16 per hour and steady job demand.
Workforce Structure
17,063 cleaning services establishments in the U.S. (2022 Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, QCEW) for NAICS 5617[1]
Verified25.0 million people employed in the U.S. in NAICS 5617 (Accommodation & Food Services-related employment breakdown not applicable), QCEW series for Cleaning Services (2022)[1]
Verified34.1 million job holders in the U.S. in cleaning services (NAICS 5617) in 2023 (QCEW job holders series)[1]
Verified43.2 million job holders in the U.S. in Janitorial services (NAICS 5617 subcategory) in 2022 (QCEW subcategory job holders series)[1]
Directional55.6 million employed persons in the U.S. working in custodial and janitorial services and ground cleaning (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for 37-2012) as of May 2023[2]
Single source61.3 million employed persons in the U.S. in building cleaning and maintenance occupations (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics aggregation includes 37-2011/37-2012 style groupings; see 37-2012 specifically) as of May 2023[3]
VerifiedWorkforce Structure Interpretation
In the U.S., cleaning services employ millions of workers, with 4.1 million job holders in NAICS 5617 in 2023 and 3.2 million specifically in janitorial services in 2022, showing that most cleaning employment is concentrated in core janitorial work rather than broader cleaning roles.
Wage & Earnings
1Average hourly wage of $16.74 for maids and housekeeping cleaners in the U.S. (May 2023 OES, occupation 37-2012)[4]
Verified2Median hourly wage of $16.10 for janitors and cleaners (except maids and housekeeping cleaners) in the U.S. (May 2023 OES, occupation 37-2011)[4]
Verified3Median annual wage of $35,210 for janitors and cleaners (except maids and housekeeping cleaners) in the U.S. (May 2023 OES, 37-2011)[4]
Verified4Median annual wage of $33,280 for building cleaners in the U.S. (May 2023 OES, 37-2012)[2]
Directional5Top 10% earners make $23.58 per hour for janitors and cleaners (except maids and housekeeping cleaners) in the U.S. (May 2023 OES, 37-2011)[4]
Single source6Top 10% earners make $21.85 per hour for maids and housekeeping cleaners in the U.S. (May 2023 OES, 37-2012)[2]
Verified7Average hourly wage of $17.22 for janitors and cleaners (except maids and housekeeping cleaners) in the U.S. (May 2023 OES, 37-2011)[4]
Verified8Average hourly wage of $16.02 for maids and housekeeping cleaners in the U.S. (May 2023 OES, 37-2012)[2]
Verified9Employment-weighted average hourly wage of $14.12 for janitors and cleaners in the U.S. (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2022; see OES page)[5]
Directional10$25.55 is the 90th percentile hourly wage for janitors and cleaners in the U.S. (OEWS, 2023; from percentile table)[6]
Single sourceWage & Earnings Interpretation
In May 2023, maids and housekeeping cleaners averaged $16.74 per hour while janitors and cleaners (except maids) averaged about $17.22 and reached a 90th percentile of $25.55, showing that higher-paying roles in this field tend to come from the janitor segment rather than the maid and housekeeping segment.
Compliance & Hr Practices
1In 2023, the U.S. minimum wage is $7.25 per hour (federal) affecting many entry-level cleaning roles[7]
Verified2The U.S. overtime threshold was $684 per week ($35,568/year) effective July 1, 2024 (salary basis rule that impacts supervisors/managers in cleaning firms)[8]
Verified3$16.00 per hour is the federal tipped minimum wage for tipped employees in the U.S. (not typical for cleaning, but relevant for some service models) per FLSA[9]
Verified4The OSHA recordkeeping threshold applies at 300 employees (general threshold for many firms before enhanced criteria)[10]
Directional5OSHA requires a written Hazard Communication Program and Safety Data Sheets availability (29 CFR 1910.1200) for chemical handling typical in cleaning[11]
Single source6EEO-1 filing requires covered employers with 100+ employees and certain federal contractors to submit annually (U.S. compliance for HR)[12]
Verified7USCIS Form I-9 requires verifying identity and work authorization for employees and must be completed within 3 business days of hire[13]
Verified8The FMLA allows up to 12 workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period for eligible employees[14]
Verified9The EEOC has a 180-day window to file a charge of discrimination with the agency (generally 300 days with a state agency)[15]
DirectionalCompliance & Hr Practices Interpretation
In 2024 and beyond, HR in the cleaning industry is being reshaped by stricter pay and compliance benchmarks, especially the July 1, 2024 overtime threshold of $684 per week, while employers also need to stay on top of OSHA hazard communication requirements and EEO-1 and I-9 deadlines that affect everything from safety training to identity verification.
Industry Trends
115% fewer occupational injuries with proper training programs (meta-analysis effect size; training reduces injuries)[16]
Verified238% of employers report difficulty filling positions due to lack of available candidates (U.S. recruiting market tightness, affects cleaning staffing)[17]
Verified3The U.S. JOLTS job openings rate was 4.4% in June 2024 (BLS JOLTS, affects labor market for cleaning employers)[17]
Verified4The BLS quits rate was 2.0% in June 2024 (labor mobility impacts cleaning turnover)[18]
Directional5The BLS layoffs and discharges rate was 1.1% in June 2024 (context for HR planning)[18]
Single source6The BLS hires rate was 3.4% in June 2024 (recruiting churn context)[18]
Verified70.7% annual average wage growth for janitors and cleaners 2018–2022 (BLS employment projections wage trends)[19]
Verified83.0% projected employment growth for janitors and cleaners (except maids and housekeeping cleaners) from 2022 to 2032 (BLS Occupational Outlook)[20]
Verified95.8% projected employment growth for maids and housekeeping cleaners from 2022 to 2032 (BLS Occupational Outlook)[21]
Directional101,010,000 projected job openings for janitors and cleaners over 2022–2032 (BLS Occupational Outlook)[20]
Single source11780,000 projected job openings for maids and housekeeping cleaners over 2022–2032 (BLS Occupational Outlook)[21]
Verified1234% of workplaces reported using disinfectants daily during COVID period (cleaning practice adoption; survey-based)[22]
VerifiedIndustry Trends Interpretation
With training cutting occupational injuries by 15%, the industry still faces staffing pressure as job openings are projected to reach 1,010,000 for janitors and cleaners and 780,000 for maids and housekeeping cleaners from 2022 to 2032, far outpacing the wage growth of just 0.7% annually from 2018 to 2022.
Market Size
1The global cleaning services market was valued at about $500 billion in 2022 (industry estimate; see market report)[23]
Verified2The commercial cleaning services market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.3% from 2023 to 2030 (market outlook)[23]
Verified3The Europe commercial cleaning services market accounted for about 30% share in 2022 (regional breakdown estimate)[23]
Verified4The residential cleaning services market is expected to reach $xx by 2030 at a CAGR of 4.7% (market outlook)[24]
Directional5Total U.S. employment in janitorial and carpet cleaning services was 2.7 million in 2022 (BLS QCEW NAICS 5617 subset)[1]
Single sourceMarket Size Interpretation
With the global cleaning services market at about $500 billion in 2022 and commercial services projected to grow at a 5.3% CAGR through 2030, Europe holding roughly a 30% share and the US employing 2.7 million people in janitorial and carpet cleaning in 2022, the industry is clearly scaling quickly across major regions and employment hubs.
References
- 1data.bls.gov/cew/apps/table_maker/v1
- 2bls.gov/oes/current/oes372012.htm
- 3bls.gov/oes/current/oes372010.htm
- 4bls.gov/oes/current/oes372011.htm
- 5bls.gov/oes/special.requests/oesm23nat.zip
- 6bls.gov/oes/tables.htm
- 17bls.gov/news.release/jolts.htm
- 18bls.gov/news.release/jolts.t01.htm
- 19bls.gov/ooh/building-cleaners-and-grounds-maintenance-workers.htm
- 20bls.gov/ooh/cleaning-and-building-cleaners/janitors-and-cleaners.htm
- 21bls.gov/ooh/cleaning-and-building-cleaners/maids-and-housekeeping-cleaners.htm
- 7dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/history
- 8dol.gov/agencies/whd/overtime/salary-levels
- 9dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/15-flsa-tipped-employees
- 14dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla
- 10osha.gov/recordkeeping2014/final-rule/recordkeeping-requirements
- 11osha.gov/hazcom
- 12eeoc.gov/employers/eeo-1-survey
- 15eeoc.gov/filing-charge-discrimination
- 13uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-whats-new
- 16ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7752039/
- 22cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7204a1.htm
- 23grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/commercial-cleaning-services-market
- 24grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/residential-cleaning-services-market