Dishwashers
Clean dishes, kitchen, food preparation equipment, or utensils.
What it pays
Dishwashers earn a median of $16.73/hr — about $35,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $12.59/hr; the top 10% earn $20.61/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Dishwashers earn a median of $16.73/hr — about $35,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $12.59/hr; the top 10% earn $20.61/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Wash dishes, glassware, flatware, pots, or pans, using dishwashers or by hand.
- Place clean dishes, utensils, or cooking equipment in storage areas.
- Sort and remove trash, placing it in designated pickup areas.
- Sweep or scrub floors.
- Maintain kitchen work areas, equipment, or utensils in clean and orderly condition.
- Clean garbage cans with water or steam.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Less than high school. Overall preparation: little or no preparation (Job Zone 1 of 5).
The feel of the work
Much of the day is spent working solo. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 0.6% of dishwashers are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
- Chefs and Head Cooks
- Waiters and Waitresses
- Bartenders
- Food Preparation Workers
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
Quick questions
- How much does a dishwasher make?
- The median pay is $16.73 per hour — roughly $35,000 a year, with the real range running from about $12.59/hr (10th percentile) to $20.61/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a dishwasher?
- The typical entry-level education is: Less than high school. Overall preparation level: little or no preparation (Job Zone 1 of 5).
- What does a dishwasher actually do all day?
- Wash dishes, glassware, flatware, pots, or pans, using dishwashers or by hand. Place clean dishes, utensils, or cooking equipment in storage areas. Sort and remove trash, placing it in designated pickup areas.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.