Kitchen cleaner vs custodian

The differences between kitchen cleaners and custodians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a custodian has an average salary of $30,176, which is higher than the $29,748 average annual salary of a kitchen cleaner.

The top three skills for a kitchen cleaner include dishes, cleanliness and exhaust fans. The most important skills for a custodian are cleanliness, work ethic, and customer service.

Kitchen cleaner vs custodian overview

	Kitchen Cleaner	Custodian
Yearly salary	$29,748	$30,176
Hourly rate	$14.30	$14.51
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	51,694	47,364
Job satisfaction	-	4
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 60%	High School Diploma, 48%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	-	-

Kitchen cleaner vs custodian salary

Kitchen cleaners and custodians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Kitchen Cleaner	Custodian
Average salary	$29,748	$30,176
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $37,000	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 kitchen cleaner and custodian education

There are a few differences between a kitchen cleaner and a custodian in terms of educational background:

	Kitchen Cleaner	Custodian
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 60%	High School Diploma, 48%
Most common major	General Studies	Business
Most common college	-	-

Kitchen cleaner vs custodian demographics

Here are the differences between kitchen cleaners' and custodians' demographics:

	Kitchen Cleaner	Custodian
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 74.8% Female, 25.2%	Male, 64.4% Female, 35.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 25.1% Asian, 5.3% White, 50.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%	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 kitchen cleaner and custodian duties and responsibilities

Kitchen cleaner example responsibilities.

Operate a POS system and manage cash and credit card sales.
Clean all kitchen areas, stoves, ovens, refrigerators, cookers, counter tops, cans and mats.
Maintain cleanliness of all food services areas and equipment.
Operate trash compactor and dishwasher, clean, wash and store pots, pans and dishes.
Clean multiple commercial building using industrialize buffers, scrubbers and/or vacuum equipment.
Operate trash compactor and dishwasher.

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).

Kitchen cleaner vs custodian skills

Common kitchen cleaner skills

Dishes, 32%
Cleanliness, 26%
Exhaust Fans, 18%
Clean Kitchen, 5%
Food Service, 4%
Kitchen Surfaces, 3%

Common custodian skills

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

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Kitchen Cleaner vs Custodian

Updated January 8, 2025

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