Commercial or institutional cleaner vs custodian worker

The differences between commercial or institutional cleaners and custodian workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a commercial or institutional cleaner has an average salary of $31,792, which is higher than the $28,309 average annual salary of a custodian worker.

The top three skills for a commercial or institutional cleaner include hand tools, and . The most important skills for a custodian worker are wax floors, cleanliness, and scrubbers.

Commercial or institutional cleaner vs custodian worker overview

	Commercial Or Institutional Cleaner	Custodian Worker
Yearly salary	$31,792	$28,309
Hourly rate	$15.28	$13.61
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	62,392	102,181
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 44%	High School Diploma, 54%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	-	-

Commercial or institutional cleaner vs custodian worker salary

Commercial or institutional cleaners and custodian workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Commercial Or Institutional Cleaner	Custodian Worker
Average salary	$31,792	$28,309
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $41,000	Between $22,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City	Berkeley, CA	Schenectady, NY
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	New York
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	Idyllwild Arts
Best paying industry	-	Hospitality

Differences between commercial or institutional cleaner and custodian worker education

There are a few differences between a commercial or institutional cleaner and a custodian worker in terms of educational background:

	Commercial Or Institutional Cleaner	Custodian Worker
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 44%	High School Diploma, 54%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Commercial or institutional cleaner vs custodian worker demographics

Here are the differences between commercial or institutional cleaners' and custodian workers' demographics:

	Commercial Or Institutional Cleaner	Custodian Worker
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 70.6% Female, 29.4%	Male, 57.4% Female, 42.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 25.2% Asian, 3.4% White, 51.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%	Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.7% White, 58.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between commercial or institutional cleaner and custodian worker duties and responsibilities

Commercial or institutional cleaner example responsibilities.

Clean restaurants during the evenings and ensure protocols are followed according to restaurant cleanliness guidelines.
Full bedding which includes washing of sheets and towels (washer and dryer must be present) and remaking of bed.

Custodian worker example responsibilities.

Operate auto scrubbers, vacuums, and wet/dry extractors to mop, strip, wax, and buff floors.
Inspect assigned work locations to ensure cleanliness and organization.
Perform mechanical repairs and services to plumbing, electrical, mechanical systems and large rotating equipment including refrigeration systems.
Clean and disinfect lavatory areas including sinks, urinals and toilets using appropriate cleaning solutions.
Operate buffers and burnishers to strip, wax and buff floors and corridors in various facilities.

Commercial or institutional cleaner vs custodian worker skills

Common commercial or institutional cleaner skills

Hand Tools, 100%

Common custodian worker skills

WAX Floors, 15%
Cleanliness, 11%
Scrubbers, 8%
Window Sills, 6%
Class Rooms, 6%
Taking Care, 5%

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Commercial Or Institutional Cleaner vs Custodian Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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