Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers in Pennsylvania make a median of $34,060 a year, or about $16.38 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $42K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $35,864 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 57.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $34K get you in Pennsylvania?
About laundry and dry-cleaning workers
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Laundry and dry-cleaning workers pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $34K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 57.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level laundry and dry-cleaning workers (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $42K or more, a $15K spread from bottom to top.
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers salary by metro in Pennsylvania
16 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chambersburg | $36K | +5% | 50 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $36K | +5% | 510 |
| Reading | $35K | +4% | 190 |
| Lancaster | $35K | +3% | 310 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $35K | +2% | 3,050 |
| Lebanon | $35K | +1% | 50 |
| State College | $34K | +1% | 110 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $34K | +1% | 540 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $32K | -5% | 270 |
| Pittsburgh | $32K | -6% | 1,040 |
| York-Hanover | $32K | -6% | 110 |
| Williamsport | $32K | -7% | 80 |
| Gettysburg | $31K | -9% | 60 |
| Erie | $30K | -12% | 170 |
| Altoona | $29K | -15% | 80 |
| Johnstown | $28K | -17% | 30 |
Showing 1–10 of 16 metros
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a laundry and dry-cleaning worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 57.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for laundry and dry-cleaning workers in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new laundry and dry-cleaning workers typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,618/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 83% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is laundry and dry-cleaning worker a high-paying job in Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $34K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for laundry and dry-cleaning workers?
Pennsylvania pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do laundry and dry-cleaning workers make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $34,060 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,970, and experienced laundry and dry-cleaning workers can clear $41,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,363/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 57.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a laundry and dry-cleaning workers salary go in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median laundry and dry-cleaning workers salary is worth about $35,864 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do laundry and dry-cleaning workers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.