Floor waxer vs custodian

The differences between floor waxers and custodians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a floor waxer has an average salary of $33,132, which is higher than the $30,176 average annual salary of a custodian.

The top three skills for a floor waxer include wax floors, buffing floors and clean carpets. The most important skills for a custodian are cleanliness, work ethic, and customer service.

Floor waxer vs custodian overview

	Floor Waxer	Custodian
Yearly salary	$33,132	$30,176
Hourly rate	$15.93	$14.51
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	16,309	47,364
Job satisfaction	-	4
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 48%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	-	-

Floor waxer vs custodian salary

Floor waxers and custodians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Floor Waxer	Custodian
Average salary	$33,132	$30,176
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $46,000	Between $23,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	-	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	-	Massachusetts
Best paying company	-	Los Alamos National Laboratory
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between floor waxer and custodian education

There are a few differences between a floor waxer and a custodian in terms of educational background:

	Floor Waxer	Custodian
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 48%
Most common major	General Studies	Business
Most common college	-	-

Floor waxer vs custodian demographics

Here are the differences between floor waxers' and custodians' demographics:

	Floor Waxer	Custodian
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 92.2% Female, 7.8%	Male, 64.4% Female, 35.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 25.6% Asian, 5.0% White, 49.9% 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 floor waxer and custodian duties and responsibilities

Floor waxer example responsibilities.

Ensure customer satisfaction by using interpersonal skills to communicate to patients, coworkers and supervisors as appropriate.
Handle Bio-Hazard waste and dispose of it properly.

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).

Floor waxer vs custodian skills

Common floor waxer skills

WAX Floors, 30%
Buffing Floors, 26%
Clean Carpets, 23%
Coats, 20%

Common custodian skills

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

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Floor Waxer vs Custodian

Updated January 8, 2025

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