What is a dry cleaner and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a dry cleaner. For example, did you know that they make an average of $15.08 an hour? That's $31,375 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 85,500 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreDry CleanerUS Average
Salary
2.5

Avg. Salary $31,375

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
5.7

Growth Rate 4%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.44%

Asian 4.79%

Black or African American 12.22%

Hispanic or Latino 22.04%

Unknown 4.25%

White 55.27%

Gender

female 60.97%

male 39.03%

Age - 51
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 51
Stress Level
5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
7.0

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
9.1

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

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Dry Cleaner career paths

Key steps to become a dry cleaner

  1. Explore dry cleaner education requirements

    Most common dry cleaner degrees

    High School Diploma

    48.0 %

    Bachelor's

    20.1 %

    Associate

    14.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific dry cleaner skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Dry Cleaning46.40%
    Customer Service24.91%
    Dryers5.31%
    Front Desk4.73%
    Delivery Service3.45%
  3. Complete relevant dry cleaner training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New dry cleaners learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a dry cleaner based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real dry cleaner resumes.
  4. Research dry cleaner duties and responsibilities

    • Wash vests, coats, ties and bowties.
    • Load and unload the extractors and tumblers.
    • Tend to washers, dryers and operate the Hoffman presser.
    • Sort and count articles remove from dryers, fold, wrap, iron and hang them.
  5. Prepare your dry cleaner resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your dry cleaner resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a dry cleaner resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Dry Cleaner Resume templates

    Build a professional Dry Cleaner resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Dry Cleaner resume.
    Dry Cleaner Resume
    Dry Cleaner Resume
    Dry Cleaner Resume
    Dry Cleaner Resume
    Dry Cleaner Resume
    Dry Cleaner Resume
    Dry Cleaner Resume
    Dry Cleaner Resume
    Dry Cleaner Resume
  6. Apply for dry cleaner jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a dry cleaner job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Dry Cleaner Job

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Average dry cleaner salary

The average Dry Cleaner salary in the United States is $31,375 per year or $15 per hour. Dry cleaner salaries range between $24,000 and $40,000 per year.

Average Dry Cleaner Salary
$31,375 Yearly
$15.08 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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