What are the main factors that influence a Car Wash's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change a Car Wash's salary?

A Car Wash's salary grows with experience: starting around $37,632 for beginners, reaching about $38,943 at mid-level, and approach $39,079 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Car Wash?

Car Wash salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Car Wash roles are District of Columbia $41,529, California $41,371, Massachusetts $40,820. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Car Wash roles make?

Salaries for Car Wash level roles vary by specialization: Car Wash Manager: $97,751; Car Wash Installer: $84,852; Car Wash General Manager: $68,505; Car Wash Attendant: $64,826; Car Wash Supervisor: $59,776.

How do different companies affect a Car Wash's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Car Wash roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Car Wash Salary in the United States

How much does a Car Wash make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Car Wash in the United States is $37,508 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $18.

However, a Car Wash's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $41,237
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $34,541 to $39,460
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $31,839

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Car Wash Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$39,460	$3,288	$759	$19
Average	$37,508	$3,126	$721	$18
25th Percentile	$34,541	$2,878	$664	$17

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Key Factors That Influence Car Wash Salaries

A Car Wash's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Car Wash Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Car Wash's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $37,632
Early Career (1-2 years): $38,181
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $38,943
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $39,024
Expert (over 8 years): $39,079

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Car Wash	$37,632
Intermediate Level Car Wash	$38,181
Senior Level Car Wash	$38,943
Specialist Level Car Wash	$39,024
Expert Level Car Wash	$39,079

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Car Wash Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Car Washes. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $41,529.
California: $41,371.
Massachusetts: $40,820.

District of Columbia $41,529 California $41,371 Massachusetts $40,820 Washington $40,670 New Jersey $40,655 Alaska $40,603 Connecticut $40,085 New York $39,875

Hawaii $39,203 Rhode Island $38,888 Maryland $38,675 Minnesota $38,382 Colorado $38,270 Illinois $38,232 Oregon $38,089 Delaware $37,984

New Hampshire $37,918 Virginia $37,771 Pennsylvania $37,339 Nevada $37,122 North Dakota $37,051 Michigan $36,938 Wisconsin $36,897 Vermont $36,814

Texas $36,585 Maine $36,570 Arizona $36,548 Ohio $36,522 Georgia $36,177 Indiana $36,004 Wyoming $35,970 Utah $35,918

Iowa $35,895 Kansas $35,715 Louisiana $35,663 North Carolina $35,644 Missouri $35,636 Florida $35,490 Montana $35,411 Nebraska $35,336

Kentucky $35,295 South Carolina $35,145 Tennessee $35,051 Idaho $35,014 New Mexico $34,740 Oklahoma $34,680 Alabama $34,459 South Dakota $34,087

Arkansas $33,885 West Virginia $33,776 Mississippi $33,450

Top Paying Cities for Car Washes

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $47,309
San Francisco: $46,844
Oakland: $45,805

San Jose, CA $47,309

San Francisco, CA $46,844

Oakland, CA $45,805

New York, NY $43,468

Queens Village, NY $43,187

Paramus, NJ $42,887

Passaic, NJ $42,849

Bergenfield, NJ $42,812

Stamford, CT $42,755

Huntington, NY $42,718

Newark, NJ $42,474

Bridgeport, CT $42,399

New Brunswick, NJ $42,275

Vallejo, CA $42,197

Middlesex, NJ $42,174

Somerset, NJ $42,140

Petaluma, CA $42,054

Santa Cruz, CA $41,908

Boston, MA $41,833

Monterey, CA $41,645

Fairbanks, AK $41,619

Los Angeles, CA $41,548

Washington, DC $41,529

Seattle, WA $41,461

Santa Rosa, CA $41,454

Juneau, AK $41,345

Orange, CA $41,221

Anchorage, AK $41,154

Anaheim, CA $41,128

Santa Ana, CA $41,071

Nassau, NY $41,049

Long Beach, CA $41,034

Danbury, CT $41,023

Santa Maria, CA $40,895

Everett, WA $40,888

Bremerton, WA $40,704

Trenton, NJ $40,633

Sacramento, CA $40,618

San Diego, CA $40,599

Brockton, MA $40,584

Tacoma, WA $40,569

Santa Barbara, CA $40,516

Lowell, MA $40,366

New Suffolk, NY $40,351

Nashua, NH $40,306

Lompoc, CA $40,246

Ventura, CA $40,209

Stockton, CA $40,197

New Haven, CT $40,122

Atlantic City, NJ $40,025

Hartford, CT $39,942

Modesto, CA $39,924

Poughkeepsie, NY $39,841

New Britain, CT $39,822

Olympia, WA $39,770

Kennewick, WA $39,770

New London, CT $39,762

Norwich, CT $39,751

Lawrence, MA $39,732

Bakersfield, CA $39,627

Riverside, CA $39,575

New Bedford, MA $39,575

Richland, WA $39,537

Portsmouth, NH $39,507

Vineland, NJ $39,500

San Bernardino, CA $39,470

Boulder, CO $39,365

Worcester, MA $39,335

Portland, OR $39,301

Saint Paul, MN $39,256

Minneapolis, MN $39,256

Philadelphia, PA $39,203

Honolulu, HI $39,005

Springfield, MA $38,873

Providence, RI $38,870

Chicago, IL $38,761

Bellingham, WA $38,716

Baltimore, MD $38,675

Chico, CA $38,581

Wilmington, DE $38,517

Pittsfield, MA $38,480

Manchester, NH $38,408

Spokane, WA $38,243

Denver, CO $38,240

Albany, NY $38,063

Troy, NY $38,048

Schenectady, NY $37,969

Burlington, VT $37,887

Portland, ME $37,756

Salem, OR $37,726

Yakima, WA $37,718

Ann Arbor, MI $37,707

Rochester, MN $37,602

Fresno, CA $37,583

Reno, NV $37,583

Milwaukee, WI $37,549

Detroit, MI $37,512

Allentown, PA $37,501

Carson City, NV $37,497

Houston, TX $37,441

Colorado Springs, CO $37,437

Syracuse, NY $37,418

Eugene, OR $37,347

Bismarck, ND $37,302

Gary, IN $37,302

Galveston, TX $37,302

Springfield, OR $37,272

Medford, OR $37,182

Fort Collins, CO $37,167

Austin, TX $37,137

Mesa, AZ $37,058

Phoenix, AZ $37,051

Dallas, TX $37,039

Reading, PA $37,017

Saint Cloud, MN $37,002

Concord, NH $36,968

Madison, WI $36,953

Utica, NY $36,852

Raleigh, NC $36,822

Las Vegas, NV $36,818

Rochester, NY $36,792

Des Moines, IA $36,788

Atlanta, GA $36,728

Battle Creek, MI $36,717

Salt Lake City, UT $36,705

Lancaster, PA $36,649

Champaign, IL $36,642

Harrisburg, PA $36,597

Durham, NC $36,563

Kansas City, MO $36,559

Kansas City, KS $36,552

Fort Worth, TX $36,548

Boca Raton, FL $36,533

Cleveland, OH $36,529

Columbus, OH $36,522

Pittsburgh, PA $36,518

Richmond, VA $36,503

Indianapolis, IN $36,495

Cincinnati, OH $36,447

Petersburg, VA $36,390

Billings, MT $36,308

Lansing, MI $36,308

Huntsville, AL $36,308

Lebanon, PA $36,304

Dayton, OH $36,300

Pueblo, CO $36,300

Appleton, WI $36,289

Buffalo, NY $36,274

Racine, WI $36,255

Charlotte, NC $36,252

Saint Louis, MO $36,240

Springfield, IL $36,225

Elkhart, IN $36,218

York, PA $36,218

Gastonia, NC $36,214

Benton Harbor, MI $36,214

Beaumont, TX $36,192

Lorain, OH $36,184

Toledo, OH $36,169

Binghamton, NY $36,150

Rock Hill, SC $36,147

Rockford, IL $36,128

Fargo, ND $36,109

Elyria, OH $36,109

Flagstaff, AZ $36,083

Fort Lauderdale, FL $36,060

Miami, FL $36,038

Duluth, MN $35,978

Bangor, ME $35,929

Cedar Rapids, IA $35,888

Louisville, KY $35,869

Grand Rapids, MI $35,861

Hialeah, FL $35,858

Casper, WY $35,805

Scranton, PA $35,760

New Orleans, LA $35,749

Virginia Beach, VA $35,745

Akron, OH $35,726

Peoria, IL $35,678

Sarasota, FL $35,670

Green Bay, WI $35,644

Baton Rouge, LA $35,625

Charleston, SC $35,618

Nashville, TN $35,606

Jamestown, NY $35,599

Davenport, IA $35,599

Tucson, AZ $35,580

Cheyenne, WY $35,569

Saint Petersburg, FL $35,558

Tampa, FL $35,550

Omaha, NE $35,543

Port Arthur, TX $35,528

Evansville, IN $35,528

Bradenton, FL $35,513

Santa Fe, NM $35,445

Orlando, FL $35,408

Clearwater, FL $35,366

Canton, OH $35,288

La Crosse, WI $35,288

Grand Forks, ND $35,276

Albuquerque, NM $35,265

Tulsa, OK $35,265

Newport News, VA $35,261

High Point, NC $35,250

Ogden, UT $35,235

Corpus Christi, TX $35,205

Laramie, WY $35,183

Norfolk, VA $35,183

Rock Island, IL $35,160

Saginaw, MI $35,153

Jacksonville, FL $35,149

Salisbury, NC $35,141

Memphis, TN $35,134

Moline, IL $35,115

Fort Myers, FL $35,104

Waterloo, IA $35,055

Spartanburg, SC $35,018

Lincoln, NE $34,999

Fort Wayne, IN $34,991

Birmingham, AL $34,950

Cedar Falls, IA $34,943

Provo, UT $34,939

Springfield, OH $34,935

San Antonio, TX $34,928

Greensboro, NC $34,913

South Bend, IN $34,909

Winston Salem, NC $34,905

Boise, ID $34,894

Savannah, GA $34,868

Muskegon, MI $34,800

Lima, OH $34,755

Lake Charles, LA $34,740

Anderson, IN $34,733

Lexington, KY $34,721

Augusta, GA $34,710

Greenville, SC $34,710

Wichita, KS $34,676

Tuscaloosa, AL $34,676

Columbia, SC $34,642

Bloomington, IN $34,549

Roanoke, VA $34,526

Asheville, NC $34,477

Knoxville, TN $34,414

Shreveport, LA $34,410

Wilmington, NC $34,361

Frankfort, KY $34,290

Oklahoma City, OK $34,264

Chillicothe, OH $34,249

Longview, TX $34,245

Topeka, KS $34,234

Mobile, AL $34,177

Terre Haute, IN $34,162

Erie, PA $34,159

Altoona, PA $34,140

Melbourne, FL $34,129

Amarillo, TX $34,114

Killeen, TX $34,102

Fayetteville, AR $34,072

Sioux Falls, SD $34,046

Chattanooga, TN $34,024

Idaho Falls, ID $34,020

Gainesville, FL $33,941

Portsmouth, OH $33,922

Little Rock, AR $33,915

Lynchburg, VA $33,915

Lafayette, LA $33,900

Youngstown, OH $33,900

Temple, TX $33,885

Daytona Beach, FL $33,877

Clarksville, TN $33,874

Pensacola, FL $33,870

Hopkinsville, KY $33,757

Charleston, WV $33,754

Florence, SC $33,735

Sioux City, IA $33,712

Macon, GA $33,604

Tallahassee, FL $33,600

Fayetteville, NC $33,592

Waco, TX $33,585

Wichita Falls, TX $33,585

Pine Bluff, AR $33,570

Vincennes, IN $33,498

Lubbock, TX $33,483

Great Falls, MT $33,461

Alamogordo, NM $33,457

Abilene, TX $33,427

Rapid City, SD $33,378

Monroe, LA $33,378

Albany, GA $33,356

Huntington, WV $33,352

Jackson, MS $33,348

Greenville, MS $33,345

Parkersburg, WV $33,307

Montgomery, AL $33,300

Johnstown, PA $33,292

Springfield, MO $33,262

Biloxi, MS $33,243

Sumter, SC $33,165

Columbus, GA $33,161

Twin Falls, ID $33,138

Pascagoula, MS $33,090

Kingsport, TN $32,992

Gulfport, MS $32,981

Alexandria, LA $32,857

Fort Smith, AR $32,763

El Paso, TX $32,662

Helena, MT $32,613

Las Cruces, NM $32,493

Harlingen, TX $32,388

Pocatello, ID $32,354

Florence, AL $32,343

Brownsville, TX $32,336

Dothan, AL $32,276

Mcallen, TX $32,257

Columbus, MS $31,979

Altus, OK $31,807

Lawton, OK $31,736

Pierre, SD $31,601

What Skills Can Increase a Car Wash's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Customer Service (Mentioned in 28.07% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Food Service (Mentioned in 2.71% Job Postings): The foodservice or catering industry includes the businesses, institutions, and companies which prepare meals outside the home.
CCTV (Mentioned in 1.54% Job Postings):

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Customer Service	28.07%
Food Service	2.71%
CCTV	1.54%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Car Wash's salary.

Diversity and Inclusion: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Problem Solving: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Accountability: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Diversity and Inclusion	$39,759	6%
Problem Solving	$39,759	6%
Accountability	$39,008	4%
Leadership	$39,008	4%
Physical Security	$39,008	4%
Commitment	$38,633	3%

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How Education impacts a Car Wash's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Car Washes enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Car Wash with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $35,608 and $37,922).

Car Wash Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Car Wash

No Diploma 2.0%

High School 60.0%

Associates 16.9%

Bachelors 18.8%

Masters 1.9%

Doctorate 0.4%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	2.0%
High School	60.0%
Associates	16.9%
Bachelors	18.8%
Masters	1.9%
Doctorate	0.4%

view as graph

Car Wash Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Car Wash's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

$34,541

Average $37,508/year

$39,460

$2,878

Average $3,126/month

$3,288

$664

Average $721/week

$759

$17

Average $18/hour

$19

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$39,460	$3,288	$759	$19
Average	$37,508	$3,126	$721	$18
25th Percentile	$34,541	$2,878	$664	$17

Salaries of jobs related to Car Wash

Salary Trends for Car Wash

Salaries for a Car Wash can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $36,336 in 2023 to around $35,642 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Car Wash salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Car Wash Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$36,336

2024

$36,147

2025

$35,642

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$36,336
2024	$36,147
2025	$35,642
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Car Wash

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