Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between janitors and general cleaners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a janitor has an average salary of $27,954, which is higher than the $27,205 average annual salary of a general cleaner.
The top three skills for a janitor include building floors, cleanliness and patients. The most important skills for a general cleaner are cleanliness, break rooms, and light fixtures.
| Janitor | General Cleaner | |
| Yearly salary | $27,954 | $27,205 |
| Hourly rate | $13.44 | $13.08 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 57,146 | 96,320 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.67 | 3 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 56% | High School Diploma, 54% |
| Average age | 49 | 49 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
General cleaners are responsible for maintaining the cleanliness and orderliness of all the facilities of the company premises. A general cleaner also monitors the adequacy of cleaning materials in the storage area. They also respond to the visitors' inquiries and concerns, directing them to the appropriate personnel and department for their business needs. A general cleaner must be highly-organized, ensuring the safety of the establishment by following strict sanitary standards and cleaning procedures. They report defective items, inspect office equipment, and request additional supplies.
Janitors and general cleaners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Janitor | General Cleaner | |
| Average salary | $27,954 | $27,205 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $35,000 | Between $21,000 And $34,000 |
| Highest paying City | Lexington, MA | Portland, OR |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Washington |
| Best paying company | Argonne National Laboratory | Boston Medical Center |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Construction |
There are a few differences between a janitor and a general cleaner in terms of educational background:
| Janitor | General Cleaner | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 56% | High School Diploma, 54% |
| Most common major | Business | General Studies |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between janitors' and general cleaners' demographics:
| Janitor | General Cleaner | |
| Average age | 49 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.1% Female, 36.9% | Male, 51.0% Female, 49.0% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 4.0% White, 64.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |