Building service worker vs custodian

The differences between building service workers and custodians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a custodian has an average salary of $30,176, which is higher than the $27,257 average annual salary of a building service worker.

The top three skills for a building service worker include wax floors, snow blowers and scrubbers. The most important skills for a custodian are cleanliness, work ethic, and customer service.

Building service worker vs custodian overview

	Building Service Worker	Custodian
Yearly salary	$27,257	$30,176
Hourly rate	$13.10	$14.51
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	65,535	47,364
Job satisfaction	-	4
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 38%	High School Diploma, 48%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	-	-

Building service worker vs custodian salary

Building service workers and custodians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Building Service Worker	Custodian
Average salary	$27,257	$30,176
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $33,000	Between $23,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	Saint Paul, MN	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Massachusetts
Best paying company	University of St. Thomas	Los Alamos National Laboratory
Best paying industry	Non Profits	Education

Differences between building service worker and custodian education

There are a few differences between a building service worker and a custodian in terms of educational background:

	Building Service Worker	Custodian
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 38%	High School Diploma, 48%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Building service worker vs custodian demographics

Here are the differences between building service workers' and custodians' demographics:

	Building Service Worker	Custodian
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 64.4% Female, 35.6%	Male, 64.4% Female, 35.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.6% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 5.4% White, 55.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%	Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 24.1% Asian, 5.0% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between building service worker and custodian duties and responsibilities

Building service worker example responsibilities.

Operate and provide maintenance for automatic scrubbers, power sweepers, vacuums and buffers used in connection with building cleaning.
Perform emergencies work requests, schedule and unschedule maintenance program, emergencies and coordinate special projects as directed.
Clean and disinfect lavatory areas including sinks, urinals and toilets using appropriate cleaning solutions.

Custodian example responsibilities.

Operate janitorial equipment including: vacuum cleaners, floor scrubbers, carpet cleaners, presser washers, leaf blowers, etc.
Fill in for custodians when they need off, clean schools, mow grass, salt lots.
Rake leaves, cut and water grass.
Clean windows, glass partitions, or mirrors, with sponges, or squeegees.
Strip and wax floors, clean windows, replace burnt-out light bulbs and ballasts.
Clean and perform preventative maintenance on all mechanical equipment (HVAC & ventilation systems).

Building service worker vs custodian skills

Common building service worker skills

WAX Floors, 14%
Snow Blowers, 11%
Scrubbers, 10%
Blowers, 8%
Building Services, 6%
Burnishers, 6%

Common custodian skills

Cleanliness, 13%
Work Ethic, 8%
Customer Service, 6%
Building Floors, 6%
Minor Maintenance, 5%
Ladders, 3%

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Building Service Worker vs Custodian

Updated January 8, 2025

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