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The differences between porters and general cleaners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a porter has an average salary of $29,861, which is higher than the $27,205 average annual salary of a general cleaner.
The top three skills for a porter include excellent guest, dexterity and customer service. The most important skills for a general cleaner are cleanliness, break rooms, and light fixtures.
| Porter | General Cleaner | |
| Yearly salary | $29,861 | $27,205 |
| Hourly rate | $14.36 | $13.08 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 87,777 | 96,320 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 51% | High School Diploma, 54% |
| Average age | 49 | 49 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A porter is responsible for managing the building's cleanliness and orderliness, together with the cleaning maintenance team. Duties of a porter include ensuring the premises' safety, operating cleaning tools and equipment, and performing basic troubleshooting for defective machines. Other tasks include assisting visitors with their inquiries, leading clients to the appropriate departments, adhering to the highest safety standards and procedures, and answering maintenance calls. A porter must have excellent time-management and multi-tasking skills to ensure daily smooth operations.
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.
Porters and general cleaners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Porter | General Cleaner | |
| Average salary | $29,861 | $27,205 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $37,000 | Between $21,000 And $34,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Portland, OR |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | Community Housing Innovations | Boston Medical Center |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Construction |
There are a few differences between a porter and a general cleaner in terms of educational background:
| Porter | General Cleaner | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 51% | High School Diploma, 54% |
| Most common major | Business | General Studies |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between porters' and general cleaners' demographics:
| Porter | General Cleaner | |
| Average age | 49 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.2% Female, 13.8% | Male, 51.0% Female, 49.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 24.7% Asian, 4.9% White, 52.9% 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% |