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What is a janitorial maintenance worker and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
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A janitorial maintenance worker maintains the cleanliness and orderliness of machinery, equipment, and various areas of establishments. They spend most of their work hours sweeping, dusting, mopping, vacuuming and cleaning tasks while following safety and health protocols.

But the responsibilities of a janitorial maintenance worker go beyond keeping areas clean. They also track cleaning materials, place orders for cleaning materials, and arrange supplies in stockrooms and restrooms. They carry out and document cleaning instructions and tasks with minimal supervision.

They perform routine inspections and necessary repairs. If they find serious issues that need keen or expert attention, they must report them to their supervisor or manager. They usually work outside business hours and take the duty of ensuring that the building's doors are locked and the trash is disposed of correctly.

People in this position must have good interpersonal, math, and customer service skills. A high school diploma is the basic educational requirement to pursue this line of work. On average, the janitorial maintenance worker earns $12.97 an hour or $26,969 a year.

ScoreJanitorial Maintenance WorkerUS Average
Salary
1.9

Avg. Salary $24,698

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.9

Growth rate 14%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 2.39%

Asian 2.65%

Black or African American 11.62%

Hispanic or Latino 12.78%

Unknown 4.12%

White 66.44%

Gender

female 17.79%

male 82.21%

Age - 48
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48
Stress level
5.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.9

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Janitorial maintenance worker career paths

Key steps to become a janitorial maintenance worker

  1. Explore janitorial maintenance worker education requirements

    Most common janitorial maintenance worker degrees

    High School Diploma

    55.4 %

    Diploma

    17.3 %

    Associate

    11.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific janitorial maintenance worker skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Cleanliness26.15%
    HVAC20.69%
    Light Fixtures16.27%
    OSHA4.15%
    Plumbing3.99%
  3. Complete relevant janitorial maintenance worker training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New janitorial maintenance workers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a janitorial maintenance worker based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real janitorial maintenance worker resumes.
  4. Research janitorial maintenance worker duties and responsibilities

    • Assist with light building repairs, maintain building cleanliness, strip and wax floors, order and manage supplies.
    • Perform minor maintenance including plumbing and electrical.
    • Climb ladders and lift heavy loads during set-up for events.
    • power wash parking lot, clean fryers, clean bathrooms.
  5. Prepare your janitorial maintenance worker resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your janitorial maintenance worker resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a janitorial maintenance worker resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable janitorial maintenance worker resume templates

    Build a professional janitorial maintenance worker resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your janitorial maintenance worker resume.
    Janitorial Maintenance Worker Resume
    Janitorial Maintenance Worker Resume
    Janitorial Maintenance Worker Resume
    Janitorial Maintenance Worker Resume
    Janitorial Maintenance Worker Resume
    Janitorial Maintenance Worker Resume
    Janitorial Maintenance Worker Resume
    Janitorial Maintenance Worker Resume
    Janitorial Maintenance Worker Resume
  6. Apply for janitorial maintenance worker jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a janitorial maintenance worker job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first janitorial maintenance worker job

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Average janitorial maintenance worker salary

The average janitorial maintenance worker salary in the United States is $24,698 per year or $12 per hour. Janitorial maintenance worker salaries range between $19,000 and $31,000 per year.

Average janitorial maintenance worker salary
$24,698 Yearly
$11.87 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do janitorial maintenance workers rate their job?

5/5

Out of 1 Janitorial Maintenance Worker reviews, 100% were positive.

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Based on 1 ratings

Pay / salary
4.0
Overall rating
5.0
Work/life balance
3.0
Career growth
3.0

Janitorial maintenance worker reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2023
Pros

You get a job which gets you money

Cons

Cleaning really sucks also not very good pay


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5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2023
Pros

Positive feeling

Cons

Emconsideration in the positive environment in which I've tried to creat.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2023
Pros

The people I work for.

Cons

The scarcity of businesses willing to pay someone to work for them. Custodial work is an honest way of making a living.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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