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The differences between industrial cleaners and janitors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an industrial cleaner has an average salary of $28,367, which is higher than the $27,954 average annual salary of a janitor.
The top three skills for an industrial cleaner include industrial cleaning, building floors and safety procedures. The most important skills for a janitor are building floors, cleanliness, and patients.
| Industrial Cleaner | Janitor | |
| Yearly salary | $28,367 | $27,954 |
| Hourly rate | $13.64 | $13.44 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 79,374 | 57,146 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.67 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 49% | High School Diploma, 56% |
| Average age | 49 | 49 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Although often seen as insignificant and overlooked, cleaners are a major part of any industry. An industrial cleaner generally ensures that a work environment is conducive for the staff working in the building. They typically clean bathrooms, floors, tiles, carpets, desks, and other specific areas using various cleaning equipment, such as mops and vacuum cleaners. They are also tasked with the prompt removal and disposal of wastebaskets. Cleaning tasks might have to be repeated several times during the day, depending on organizational instructions.
Janitors are primarily responsible for maintaining the sanitation and cleanliness of the workspace. They are in charge of sweeping and mopping floors, wiping surfaces, and ensuring that the area they are assigned to is properly sanitized. They manage the inventory of supplies and ensure that they would never run out of cleaning supplies by properly tracking the usage of each material. Some skilled janitors are also responsible for doing minor repairs to different office equipment and fixtures. They also help in company event setups and cleanups, as well as in liaising tasks that the office might need.
Industrial cleaners and janitors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Industrial Cleaner | Janitor | |
| Average salary | $28,367 | $27,954 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $36,000 | Between $21,000 And $35,000 |
| Highest paying City | Minneapolis, MN | Lexington, MA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Star Tribune | Argonne National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between an industrial cleaner and a janitor in terms of educational background:
| Industrial Cleaner | Janitor | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 49% | High School Diploma, 56% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between industrial cleaners' and janitors' demographics:
| Industrial Cleaner | Janitor | |
| Average age | 49 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.8% Female, 37.2% | Male, 63.1% Female, 36.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 4.8% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 4.4% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |