Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners salary in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Official BLS OEWS May 2025 pay for Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area — and the estimated take-home pay on the median wage under 2026 District of Columbia tax rules.
The figures
The median Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earns $37,840 a year ($18.19 an hour), according to the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates (full citation in Sources). The middle half of Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV earn between $35,540 and $42,530 a year. At the ends of the distribution, the lowest-paid 10 percent earn $31,720 or less and the top 10 percent earn $48,780 or more. BLS estimates 59,090 Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners jobs in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV area — 18.841 of every 1,000 jobs in the area, a location quotient of 1.33 (well above the national concentration). That is 2.7% of all Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners employment in the United States (2,209,760 jobs nationally). By employment, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is the #4 largest of the 25 covered metro areas for Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners. In aggregate, Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV earn about $2.34 billion a year (BLS employment multiplied by the mean wage). At the mean wage, the engine's take-home is $32,767.14 a year, so the aggregate take-home of Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners is about $1.94 billion. BLS reports a relative standard error of 2.1% for this employment estimate. Ranked by median pay, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV stands #12 of the 25 metro areas covered on this site for Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners. By employment, Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners is the #6 largest of the 30 covered occupations in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. Placed against the national distribution for Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median of $37,840 falls between the national median ($36,840) and the national 75th percentile ($44,060). Across all occupations, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median is $71,060 a year — Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners pay is 46.7% below the area's overall median.
Wages in detail
| Wage level | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Mean | $19.07 | $39,660 |
| 10th percentile | $15.25 | $31,720 |
| 25th percentile | $17.09 | $35,540 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $18.19 | $37,840 |
| 75th percentile | $20.45 | $42,530 |
| 90th percentile | $23.45 | $48,780 |
What the wage distribution says
The top 10 percent of Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV earn 1.5 times what the bottom 10 percent earn ($48,780 against $31,720). The middle half spans $6,990 — from $35,540 to $42,530. Hourly, the 90th percentile ($23.45) is 1.54 times the 10th ($15.25). In the upper half of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV distribution, the 75th percentile wage of $42,530 takes home $34,900.82 and the 90th percentile wage of $48,780 takes home $39,548.18 — $4,647.36 more net for $6,250 more gross. Against the median take-home of $31,414.10, the top decile keeps 1.26 times as much. The mean wage of $39,660 sits 4.8% above the median: higher-paid Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners pull the average up in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. Among the 30 covered occupations in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners ranks #27 by median pay. In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV wage ladder of covered occupations, Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners sits between Stockers and Order Fillers at $37,870 and Retail Salespersons at $36,610. Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners accounts for 1.9% of all employment in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area. The average covered metro employs 38,798 Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV employs 1.5 times that.
Take-home pay on the median wage in District of Columbia
Single filer, no dependents, no pre-tax contributions, paid biweekly, a full year of W-2 wages in District of Columbia; city and local taxes are not included:
| Gross pay (annual) | $37,840.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $2,360.80 |
| Social Security (FICA) | $2,346.08 |
| Medicare (FICA) | $548.68 |
| District of Columbia income tax | $1,170.40 |
| Total deductions | $6,425.90 |
| Net pay (annual) | $31,414.10 |
| Net pay per biweekly paycheck | $1,208.23 |
| Total deduction rate | 16.98% of gross |
At the median, $31,414.10 of the $37,840 gross is kept ($1,208.23 per paycheck) — a deduction rate of 16.98%. The deduction rate moves with pay: 15.31% at the 10th percentile, 16.42% at the 25th percentile, 17.94% at the 75th percentile, 18.93% at the 90th percentile. Between the 25th and 75th percentile wages, annual take-home rises by $5,196.78 on a gross rise of $6,990.
The same engine at the other published points of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV wage distribution:
| Wage point | Net per year | Net per paycheck | Deduction rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile ($31,720) | $26,863.98 | $1,033.23 | 15.31% |
| 25th percentile ($35,540) | $29,704.04 | $1,142.46 | 16.42% |
| Median ($37,840) | $31,414.10 | $1,208.23 | 16.98% |
| 75th percentile ($42,530) | $34,900.82 | $1,342.34 | 17.94% |
| 90th percentile ($48,780) | $39,548.18 | $1,521.08 | 18.93% |
Across the published distribution, take-home pay runs from $26,863.98 a year at the 10th percentile to $39,548.18 at the 90th — a spread of $12,684.20 of net pay inside one occupation and one metro area.
For scale: across all occupations, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median wage of $71,060 takes home $55,576.74 a year ($2,137.57 per paycheck, deduction rate 21.79%). The Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners median take-home of $31,414.10 sits $24,162.64 (below that area-wide figure.
Multi-state metro area. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV also covers parts of Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia. The take-home estimate above uses District of Columbia rules — the metro area's primary state. If the job is based in another part of the metro area, the state tax changes: see the Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia paycheck calculators.
Run your own numbers
Your own withholding depends on your Form W-4, your benefits and your other income — run your exact figures through the calculator:
Against the national median
Nationally, the median Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners earns $36,840 a year ($17.71 an hour). The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median of $37,840 is $1,000 (2.7%) above the national median.
The means rank the area the same way: $39,660 a year in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV against $38,760 nationally, a gap of $900 (2.3%).
Set against the whole local market, the Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 90th percentile of $48,780 is 28% of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV all-occupations 90th percentile ($174,600), and its 10th percentile of $31,720 is 87% of the area-wide 10th ($36,260).
| Median annual | Median hourly | Mean annual | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $37,840 | $18.19 | $39,660 |
| United States | $36,840 | $17.71 | $38,760 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the median salary for Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
$37,840 a year ($18.19 an hour), per the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates. The mean is $39,660 a year. Ranked by median pay, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV stands #12 of the 25 covered metro areas for this occupation.
What is the take-home pay on $37,840 in District of Columbia?
About $31,414.10 a year ($1,208.23 per biweekly paycheck) for a single filer with no dependents and no pre-tax contributions, under 2026 rules — a total deduction rate of 16.98% of gross. At the 75th percentile wage of $42,530, take-home is $34,900.82.
How does pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV compare with the national median for Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners?
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median of $37,840 is $1,000 (2.7%) above the national median of $36,840 a year. At the top of the distribution, the local 90th percentile is $48,780, against a national 90th percentile of $50,270.
How much do the top 10% of Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners earn in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
$48,780 a year or more ($23.45 an hour or more), per the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates.
What is the take-home pay at the 90th percentile for Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
On $48,780 a year, the engine gives a take-home of $39,548.18 a year ($1,521.08 per biweekly paycheck) in District of Columbia under the same assumptions — a deduction rate of 18.93%.
How many Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners jobs are there in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
BLS estimates 59,090 Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners jobs in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area — 18.841 of every 1,000 jobs in the area.
How concentrated are Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners jobs in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The location quotient is 1.33 — well above the national concentration. A quotient of 1.0 means the occupation's share of local employment equals its national share.
How much does take-home pay vary for Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
From $26,863.98 a year at the 10th percentile wage ($31,720) to $39,548.18 at the 90th ($48,780), under the same single-filer assumptions in District of Columbia.
What is the total wage bill for Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
About $2.34 billion a year — the BLS employment estimate of 59,090 multiplied by the mean wage of $39,660.
Sources and method
Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates (released May 15, 2026), retrieved October 27, 2026 — bls.gov/oes. OEWS figures are survey estimates for May 2025, not job offers. Take-home pay is computed by this site's paycheck engine with 2026 federal and state rules; the method, and what the engine does not model, is documented in the paycheck methodology guide. Estimates only — not tax advice.