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The differences between sanitation workers and general cleaners 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 $27,205 average annual salary of a general cleaner.
The top three skills for a sanitation worker include cleanliness, pallet jack and food safety. The most important skills for a general cleaner are cleanliness, break rooms, and light fixtures.
| Sanitation Worker | General Cleaner | |
| Yearly salary | $33,159 | $27,205 |
| Hourly rate | $15.94 | $13.08 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 27,943 | 96,320 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 61% | High School Diploma, 54% |
| Average age | 49 | 49 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A sanitation worker is employed to carry out valuable community tasks like garbage collection, hauling, and disposal. Sanitation workers take responsibility for the cleanliness and maintenance of the community. They ride or drive garbage trucks to collect trash from businesses and residents every day. They may work within companies as well following their respective corporate policies. One can become a sanitation worker if they have a college degree, high school degree, or any relevant job experience.
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.
Sanitation workers and general cleaners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sanitation Worker | General Cleaner | |
| Average salary | $33,159 | $27,205 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $41,000 | Between $21,000 And $34,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | Portland, OR |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | Michigan State University | Boston Medical Center |
| Best paying industry | Government | Construction |
There are a few differences between a sanitation worker and a general cleaner in terms of educational background:
| Sanitation Worker | General Cleaner | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 61% | High School Diploma, 54% |
| Most common major | Business | General Studies |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between sanitation workers' and general cleaners' demographics:
| Sanitation Worker | General Cleaner | |
| Average age | 49 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.1% Female, 17.9% | Male, 51.0% Female, 49.0% |
| 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, 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% |