Sanitation worker vs custodian worker

The differences between sanitation workers and custodian workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a sanitation worker has an average salary of $33,159, which is higher than the $28,309 average annual salary of a custodian worker.

The top three skills for a sanitation worker include cleanliness, pallet jack and food safety. The most important skills for a custodian worker are wax floors, cleanliness, and scrubbers.

Sanitation worker vs custodian worker overview

	Sanitation Worker	Custodian Worker
Yearly salary	$33,159	$28,309
Hourly rate	$15.94	$13.61
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	27,943	102,181
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 61%	High School Diploma, 54%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	-	-

Sanitation worker vs custodian worker salary

Sanitation workers and custodian workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Sanitation Worker	Custodian Worker
Average salary	$33,159	$28,309
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $41,000	Between $22,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City	Santa Rosa, CA	Schenectady, NY
Highest paying state	Alaska	New York
Best paying company	Michigan State University	Idyllwild Arts
Best paying industry	Government	Hospitality

Differences between sanitation worker and custodian worker education

There are a few differences between a sanitation worker and a custodian worker in terms of educational background:

	Sanitation Worker	Custodian Worker
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 61%	High School Diploma, 54%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Sanitation worker vs custodian worker demographics

Here are the differences between sanitation workers' and custodian workers' demographics:

	Sanitation Worker	Custodian Worker
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 82.1% Female, 17.9%	Male, 57.4% Female, 42.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 4.9% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%	Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.7% White, 58.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between sanitation worker and custodian worker duties and responsibilities

Sanitation worker example responsibilities.

Operate a forklift for logistic, to manage and relocate BMW's fixture material.
Use power equipment such as floor sweepers, vacuums, scrubbers, mops, power washers.
Maintain cleanliness of entire facility according to OSHA and FDA regulations
Drive heavy equipment with CDL'S.
Train on (loto) lockout tag out
Landscape work including edging, mulching and mowing.

Custodian worker example responsibilities.

Operate auto scrubbers, vacuums, and wet/dry extractors to mop, strip, wax, and buff floors.
Inspect assigned work locations to ensure cleanliness and organization.
Perform mechanical repairs and services to plumbing, electrical, mechanical systems and large rotating equipment including refrigeration systems.
Clean and disinfect lavatory areas including sinks, urinals and toilets using appropriate cleaning solutions.
Operate buffers and burnishers to strip, wax and buff floors and corridors in various facilities.

Sanitation worker vs custodian worker skills

Common sanitation worker skills

Cleanliness, 14%
Pallet Jack, 13%
Food Safety, 11%
Safety Standards, 9%
Production Equipment, 5%
Safety Procedures, 4%

Common custodian worker skills

WAX Floors, 15%
Cleanliness, 11%
Scrubbers, 8%
Window Sills, 6%
Class Rooms, 6%
Taking Care, 5%

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Sanitation Worker vs Custodian Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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