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Restaurants and fast-casual chains
Chipotle, Darden Restaurants, McDonald's
Dishwashers
Dishwashers keep commercial kitchens from backing up by cleaning plates, pans, glassware, and the tools cooks need for the next order. The work is physically demanding and usually happens in hot, wet, noisy spaces, with a mix of washing, hauling trash, stocking, and cleanup. It is one of the easiest kitchen jobs to get, but the pay is modest and the usual path up is to move into prep or line-cook work.
Also known as Dish Room AttendantKitchen StewardStewarding AssociateUtility WorkerDishwasher
Median Salary
$33,670
Mean $33,220
U.S. Workforce
~472K
76.8K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+0.2%
477.7K to 478.6K
Entry Education
No formal educational credential
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Dishwashers sits in the Hospitality category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~472K workers, with a median annual pay of $33,670 and roughly 76.8K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 477.7 K in 2024 to 478.6K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Kitchen Helper and can progress toward Line Cook. High-value skills usually include Commercial Dishwashers, Warewashing Systems & Sanitizing Chemicals, Kitchen Shift Coordination & Workflow Sequencing, and Food-Safe Receiving, Storage & Stock Rotation, paired with soft skills such as Time management, Active listening, and Coordination with teammates.
Core Responsibilities
- Wash plates, pans, glassware, and utensils in machines or by hand.
- Scrub trash cans and other dirty containers to keep the kitchen sanitary.
- Put clean dishes, cookware, and utensils back in the right storage areas.
- Sort trash and carry it to the proper pickup point.
Keep exploring: more Hospitality careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Wash plates, pans, glassware, and utensils in machines or by hand.
02 Scrub trash cans and other dirty containers to keep the kitchen sanitary.
03 Put clean dishes, cookware, and utensils back in the right storage areas.
04 Sort trash and carry it to the proper pickup point.
05 Restock serving stations, cupboards, refrigerators, and salad bars with supplies.
06 Keep kitchen work areas, equipment, and new deliveries clean and organized.
Industries That Hire
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Hotels and resorts
Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt
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Hospitals and healthcare food service
Mayo Clinic, HCA Healthcare, Cleveland Clinic
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Schools, colleges, and universities
Sodexo, Aramark, Compass Group
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Catering and event venues
Delaware North, Levy Restaurants, Sodexo Live!
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can usually get started without a formal credential, and BLS says no experience is required.
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The job market is large, with 471,670 workers now and 76.8K projected openings each year.
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Training is usually short, so new hires can learn the basics quickly.
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It is a practical way to get into a kitchen and move toward prep cook or line cook work later.
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The work exists in many settings, from restaurants to hospitals to hotels, so there are plenty of places to look.
Challenges
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The pay is modest for the effort, with mean annual wages of $33,220 and a median of $33,670.
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Growth is almost flat at 0.2% over the 2024-2034 period, so the role is not expanding in a meaningful way.
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The work is physically tiring: you stand for long periods, lift wet racks, and work around hot water, steam, and slippery floors.
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This is usually a low-ceiling job; many workers have to leave the role to find much higher pay, because the work itself does not lead to big wage jumps.
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The job is easy for employers to reorganize or automate, which can limit long-term bargaining power and keep the role stuck near the bottom of the kitchen pay scale.
Career Progression
Kitchen Helper
0-1 years
$27K-$31K
New workers learn the kitchen layout, basic cleanup, and how to keep supplies moving during busy shifts.
Dishwasher
1-3 years
$32K-$35K
Workers handle the main dish room duties, clean and restock equipment, and keep pace during meal rushes.
Lead Dishwasher THIS ROLE
3-5 years
$36K-$40K
More experienced workers help organize the dish area, train new hires, and solve small problems before they slow service.
Prep Cook
5-8 years
$41K-$48K
Many workers move into basic food prep, where they start handling ingredients, prep tools, and kitchen timing more directly.
Line Cook
8+ years
$49K-$58K
At this level, the work shifts toward cooking on the line, coordinating with the team, and managing faster-paced service tasks.
Education Paths
High school diploma
The most common path, held by 55.87% of workers in this role.
Less than a high school diploma
A large share of workers, 43.39%, enter without finishing high school.
Short-term on-the-job training
BLS says employers usually train dishwashers on the job, so you can often start with no prior work experience.
Food handler card or ServSafe training
A helpful nondegree option for larger kitchens that want basic food-safety and sanitation knowledge.
Key Skills
Technical
Commercial Dishwashers, Warewashing Systems & Sanitizing Chemicals 47%
Kitchen Shift Coordination & Workflow Sequencing 44%
Food-Safe Receiving, Storage & Stock Rotation 41%
Dish Machine Monitoring, Temperature Checks & Cleaning Logs 38%
Waste Handling, Grease Disposal & Cleanup Tools 38%
Soft Skills
Time managementActive listeningCoordination with teammatesAttention to detailStaying calm during busy shiftsPhysical stamina Job Outlook and Trends
+0.2%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
76.8K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 477.7K to 478.6 K over the next decade, representing 0.2% growth. Around 76.8 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.