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The differences between auto detailers and car washers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an auto detailer has an average salary of $28,746, which is higher than the $28,701 average annual salary of a car washer.
The top three skills for an auto detailer include shampoo carpets, general maintenance and service tools. The most important skills for a car washer are clean vehicle, customer satisfaction, and cleanliness.
| Auto Detailer | Car Washer | |
| Yearly salary | $28,746 | $28,701 |
| Hourly rate | $13.82 | $13.80 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 11,018 | 41,702 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 57% | High School Diploma, 64% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
An auto or car detailer is an employee who provides internal and external cleaning services for vehicles according to the clients' needs. Auto detailers provide the necessary cleaning services that can include steaming the interiors, vacuuming the carpets, and applying waxes and polishes. They are required to perform inspections of vehicles and provide accurate records of the vehicle's condition. By clients' requests, auto detailers must also move and park the clients' vehicles or deliver them to a specific location.
A car washer is responsible for cleaning and polishing cars, ensuring efficiency and customer satisfaction. Their tasks typically include vacuuming the interior parts such as seats and floors, discarding the trash, cleaning the windows and windshield from the inside and outside, applying soap solution to the car's exterior, scraping off dirt, and applying wax. They may also answer customer inquiries, provide cost estimates, and assist them as needed. Moreover, a car washer typically works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Auto detailers and car washers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Auto Detailer | Car Washer | |
| Average salary | $28,746 | $28,701 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $35,000 | Between $22,000 And $35,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bellevue, WA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Chemung Arc | Westside |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Transportation |
There are a few differences between an auto detailer and a car washer in terms of educational background:
| Auto Detailer | Car Washer | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 57% | High School Diploma, 64% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between auto detailers' and car washers' demographics:
| Auto Detailer | Car Washer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.2% Female, 10.8% | Male, 86.5% Female, 13.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 4.5% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 13.8% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.8% Asian, 4.4% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |