Wherever there are people, there will be dirt. A custodian/substitute custodian knows this better than anyone. Their job is to keep buildings clean and maintained, especially buildings with lots of people going in and out. They can work for schools, churches, offices, and even museums.

The custodian/substitute custodian spends most of their day cleaning. They need to have the physical stamina to operate cleaning equipment and know how to use various cleaning substances-if they mix the wrong ones, they can accidentally make poisonous gas. They also perform various other tasks, like setting up for events and testing emergency systems.

In their role as a substitute custodian, the custodian/substitute custodian is like a pinch hitter who fills in for any missing colleagues. Basically, the custodian/substitute custodian takes care of building emergencies before they happen and maintain a clean, safe working environment. Most buildings would be lost without them.

What Does a Custodian/Substitute Custodian Do

There are certain skills that many custodians/substitute custodians have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed interpersonal skills, mechanical skills and physical strength.

Learn more about what a Custodian/Substitute Custodian does

How To Become a Custodian/Substitute Custodian

If you're interested in becoming a custodian/substitute custodian, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 17.3% of custodians/substitute custodians have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 1.1% of custodians/substitute custodians have master's degrees. Even though some custodians/substitute custodians have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Learn More About How To Become a Custodian/Substitute Custodian
Top Custodian/Substitute Custodian Jobs Near You

Custodian/Substitute Custodian Career Paths

Average Salary for a Custodian/Substitute Custodian

Custodians/Substitute Custodians in America make an average salary of $30,974 per year or $15 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $39,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $24,000 per year.
Average Custodian/Substitute Custodian Salary
$30,974 Yearly
$14.89 hourly

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Roles and Types of Custodian/Substitute Custodian

There are several types of custodian/substitute custodian, including:

Janitor

Role:

Clean up, clean up. Everybody, everywhere. As a janitor, the song you used to sing as a kid, when your parents made you clean your room, is even useful today, in your job. The majority of your day will be spent making sure everything is clean and in good condition.

Janitors typically work inside, although some may need to extend their duties to maintaining cleanliness outside as well. From sweeping the floors to mowing the lawn, everything stays in pristine order with you in charge.

Usually, janitors work evening shifts. This gives you plenty of space to work with no one in your way. That way you can get in and get out quickly. You won't need a formal education as a janitor, but you will learn on-the-job, so make sure you're paying attention during training.

  • Average Salary: $27,954
  • Degree: High School Diploma

Cleaner

Role:

As a cleaner, it is your responsibility to ensure the building or buildings you're in charge of are spotless. From sweeping the floors and washing windows to cleaning the bathrooms and maybe even mowing the lawn, your goal is to make the building(s) shine.

A lot of your job is done after hours usually, as that's when everyone has gone home and will be out of your way. Some of the work may be unpleasant since there will be areas that are more dirty than others.

Luckily, the job isn't too demanding education wise, so you should be able to pick it up after a bit of on-the-job training. Other than training, you won't need any formal education. Another plus for this position is that you can essentially work anywhere. Everyone needs an exceptional cleaner.

  • Average Salary: $28,075
  • Degree: High School Diploma

Custodian

Role:

Custodians are an essential job at every business. They clean and keep the building in orderly condition. Without custodians, who knows what that mess would be like.

Usually, custodians learn while they're on the job. For the most part, there aren't any education requirements. Usually they work inside, but sometimes their job takes them outside. Especially if part of their job is sweeping sidewalks or mowing lawns.

  • Average Salary: $30,176
  • Degree: High School Diploma

States With The Most Custodian/Substitute Custodian Jobs

Mouse over a state to see the number of active custodian/substitute custodian jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where custodians/substitute custodians earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average Salary: Job Openings:

Number Of Custodian/Substitute Custodian Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1California1,170$34,433
2Texas872$22,295
3Ohio700$24,973
4Florida679$26,582
5Illinois669$26,623
6Pennsylvania641$27,958
7Michigan490$29,667
8New York482$35,522
9New Jersey479$30,318
10Missouri389$23,543
11Georgia384$23,946
12Indiana367$28,264
13Wisconsin365$30,217
14Virginia362$26,095
15Minnesota347$27,980
16Arizona305$28,391
17North Carolina301$23,365
18Massachusetts295$41,607
19Colorado290$25,835
20Maryland287$27,463
21Washington251$33,709
22Iowa240$28,937
23Connecticut220$30,382
24Tennessee220$24,525
25Kentucky209$23,700
26South Carolina202$24,069
27Louisiana165$18,313
28Utah164$24,889
29Kansas159$27,584
30Oklahoma159$24,011
31Alabama149$22,326
32Arkansas147$23,889
33Oregon140$29,923
34Mississippi116$20,289
35New Hampshire113$32,105
36Nevada95$33,014
37Nebraska95$26,678
38Idaho91$23,252
39Montana88$25,197
40New Mexico72$21,851
41Alaska56$29,672
42Rhode Island55$30,635
43West Virginia55$25,707
44Maine51$31,963
45North Dakota44$32,361
46Wyoming41$27,887
47Hawaii33$33,646
48Vermont31$33,462
49Delaware31$28,249
50South Dakota21$27,029

Custodian/Substitute Custodian Education

Custodian/Substitute Custodian Majors

18.6 %

Custodian/Substitute Custodian Degrees

High School Diploma

43.8 %

Associate

22.1 %

Bachelors

17.3 %

Top Skills For a Custodian/Substitute Custodian

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 7.7% of custodians/substitute custodians listed ladders on their resume, but soft skills such as interpersonal skills and mechanical skills are important as well.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Custodian/Substitute Custodian Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Custodian/Substitute Custodian templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Custodian/Substitute Custodian resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

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Custodian/Substitute Custodian diversity

Custodian/Substitute Custodian Gender Distribution

Male
Male
69%
Female
Female
31%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among custodians/substitute custodians, 31.2% of them are women, while 68.8% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among custodians/substitute custodians is White, which makes up 55.2% of all custodians/substitute custodians.

  • The most common foreign language among custodians/substitute custodians is Spanish at 61.0%.

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Best States For a Custodian/Substitute Custodian

Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a custodian/substitute custodian. The best states for people in this position are Massachusetts, New York, California, and Washington. Custodians/substitute custodians make the most in Massachusetts with an average salary of $41,607. Whereas in New York and California, they would average $35,522 and $34,433, respectively. While custodians/substitute custodians would only make an average of $33,709 in Washington, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.

1. New Hampshire

Total Custodian/Substitute Custodian Jobs: 113
Highest 10% Earn:
$40,000
Location Quotient:
1.37

2. Wisconsin

Total Custodian/Substitute Custodian Jobs: 365
Highest 10% Earn:
$38,000
Location Quotient:
1.4

3. Nevada

Total Custodian/Substitute Custodian Jobs: 95
Highest 10% Earn:
$43,000
Location Quotient:
0.97
Full List Of Best States For Custodians/Substitute Custodians

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Top Custodian/Substitute Custodian Employers

Most Common Employers For Custodian/Substitute Custodian

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1Fremont Public Schools$40,363$19.416
2Alameda Unified$37,027$17.806
3Sacramento City Unified School District$36,276$17.4410
4San Luis Coastal Unified School District$36,228$17.426
5Brea Olinda Unified School District$36,091$17.356
6Perris Union High School District$36,070$17.3410
7Antioch Unified School District$35,743$17.186
8Clovis Unified School District$35,019$16.845
9Worthington Schools$33,733$16.226
10Modesto City Schools$32,970$15.859

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