Many aspiring and current cleaners want a clear picture of pay. You’ll learn average earnings, which range roughly $20,000–$48,500 annually (about $17/hr on average), and how your location, experience, and offered services affect your income. This guide provides concise breakdowns of yearly, monthly, weekly, and hourly pay, plus actionable strategies to increase your earnings if you run or scale a cleaning business so you can make informed decisions about your career.
Key Takeaways:
- Average annual pay for house cleaners in 2025 is roughly $20,000–$48,500 (mean ≈ $35,034), about $17/hour, $2,919/month, or $673/week before taxes.
- Location and services heavily affect wages. Higher pay in California cities, vacation markets (Nantucket, Aspen), and Washington state (≈$39,680/year); offering specialty services (carpets, windows) increases rates.
- Hours, experience, and overtime boost earnings (example: working 40 + 15 hours at time-and-a-half could raise weekly pay to ≈$928).
- As an owner, starting a cleaning business can earn substantially more, estimated $25,500–$339,500 annually, depending on revenue, expenses, scaling, and commercial contracts.
- Low start-up costs and steady demand make cleaning a viable career. Employer roles may include benefits and advancement, and software tools can help grow revenue and efficiency.
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Overview of House Cleaner Salaries
Across the U.S., house cleaner pay ranges widely - typically $20,000 to $48,500 annually - with an average of $35,034. You’ll see hourly rates from roughly $9.62 to $23.32 and a common midpoint near $17/hour. Location, service mix (like carpet or window cleaning), and whether you run your own business or work for an employer will push your take-home pay up or down.
Annual Earnings
You can expect average annual pay around $35,034, many earn up to $44,000, and a small segment reaches $48,500. If you build a business, owner incomes span much wider, roughly $25,500 to $339,500, so your annual total depends on hours, client volume, and any upsells like deep cleans or move-outs.
Monthly and Weekly Income
On average you’ll bring in about $2,919 per month and $673 per week before taxes. Overtime and higher hourly rates change that fast: for instance, a 40-hour week at the $17 average is close to the weekly figure, and adding 15 overtime hours at time-and-a-half can lift a week to about $928.
If you want a practical example, combine recurring clients and specialties: three twice-monthly deep cleans at $150 each plus ten weekly standard cleans at $80 equals roughly $3,300 monthly gross. Also factor in cancellations, travel time, tips (which can add 5–15%), and expenses like supplies and insurance when projecting your true weekly and monthly income.
Salary Variation by Location
Your pay as a house cleaner shifts dramatically by market: the national average is $35,034, with most earners between $20,000 and $48,500 and hourly wages from $9.62–$23.32. In high-cost metros you’ll push toward the top of that range; in lower-cost areas you’ll fall below it. For current region-specific hourly data, see House Cleaner Salary: Hourly Rate November 2025 USA.
Highest-Paying Cities
Many of the top 10 highest-paying cities are in California, where demand and living costs drive wages up; Nantucket and Aspen also rank highly due to vacation-home demand. If you work in these markets you can expect hourly rates near the national upper bound ($23.32/hr) and annual pay well above the $35k average, especially when you add tips and specialty services.
Salary by State
State-level data show large gaps: Washington tops the list at $39,680/year, while other states sit closer to or below the national average. Where you live determines baseline pay, and state minimum wages, local demand, and cost of living all matter when you assess your expected earnings.
Digging deeper, you should compare nearby states and metro areas before setting rates or accepting jobs: working in a neighboring higher‑paying state or targeting affluent suburbs can raise your annual income by thousands. Also factor in travel time, taxes, and whether you provide specialized services like deep cleans or carpet care when estimating realistic state-based earnings.
Additional Benefits for House Cleaners
Common additional benefits
Beyond wages, you can access benefits that raise total compensation: tips often add 5–15% to your pay, and employers commonly offer paid time off (5–10 days in year one), health insurance after 60–90 days, and 401(k) matches up to 3%. For example, cleaners at a mid-size company received a $150 monthly equipment stipend and quarterly bonuses that added about $1,200 a year. Some firms also reimburse mileage at the IRS rate (67¢/mile in 2024), which reduces your out-of-pocket costs.
Factors Influencing House Cleaner Salaries
What drives your pay
Location, experience, and service mix explain why you might earn $20,000–$48,500 a year (hourly $9.62–$23.32, national average $35,034). For example, cleaners in Washington average $39,680, while jobs in Nantucket or Aspen often pay premiums; adding window or carpet cleaning, overtime, or regular client contracts can push you toward the top end (a 40+15 hour week can raise weekly pay to about $928). This How Much Do House Cleaners Make? 2025 Salary Guide breaks down the data.
- Location: state and city wage differences (WA ~$39,680 avg).
- Experience: years on the job → higher hourly rates.
- Service mix: specialty types of cleaning services add premium pay.
- Hours & overtime: extra hours increase weekly income.
- Tips/benefits: tips and employer benefits raise total comp.
Income Potential for Cleaning Business Owners
As an owner you can earn between $25,500 and $339,500 annually depending on revenue, expenses, and how much you pay yourself. For example, solo owners hitting $1,000/day can make $5,000/week or $17,500/month, while scale-ups like Red Rose grew from $150,000 to a $250,000 target by hiring teams and landing commercial contracts. Use pricing, hiring, and software to boost margins and turn a local cleaning route into a six-figure business.
Setting Competitive House Cleaning Rates
Rate-setting formula
Start with a baseline: total your annual target pay plus business expenses (supplies, travel, insurance) and divide by realistic billable hours, typically 1,200–1,800 hours per year. Factor in market rates: many cleaners charge $25–$50/hour, while specialty services like carpet or deep cleaning command $60–$120 per job. For example, if you want $50,000/year, estimate 1,500 billable hours and 30% overhead, charge (50,000×1.3)/1,500 ≈ $43/hr. Adjust for local demand, competition, and discounts for recurring clients.
Conclusion
Considering all points, you should expect house cleaner earnings in 2025 to vary by location, experience, and services; average pay is roughly $20,000–$48,500 annually (about $17/hour or $35k median), while business owners and specialists can earn significantly more—focus on higher-cost areas, add specialty services, and scale your operations to improve your income.