Dishwashers build operation and control, coordination and time management skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers (84%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | 84% | $34,890 | 0% | None |
| 2 | Food Preparation Workers | 80% | $35,320 | +1% | None |
| 3 | Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | 79% | $35,830 | +3% | None |
| 4 | Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | 78% | $43,530 | +25% | None |
| 5 | Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 76% | $43,220 | +24% | None |
| 6 | Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 76% | $35,510 | +2% | None |
| 7 | Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | 76% | $44,810 | +29% | None |
| 8 | Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 75% | $40,240 | +16% | None |
| 9 | Helpers--Production Workers | 75% | $39,070 | +12% | None |
| 10 | Cooks, Fast Food | 74% | $30,890 | −11% | None |
Compared with Dishwashers, median $34,810. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as dishwashers (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
84% skill match · $34,890 · 0% pay
Operations Analysis · Service Orientation · Social Perceptiveness
80% skill match · $35,320 · +1% pay
Service Orientation · Time Management
79% skill match · $35,830 · +3% pay
Equipment Selection · Quality Control Analysis · Management of Material Resources
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers (84% skill match, median $34,890), Food Preparation Workers (80% skill match, median $35,320) and Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment (79% skill match, median $35,830), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 22 pay more than dishwashers at the median. The biggest increases: Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (+41%, $48,990), Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders (+29%, $44,810) and Light Truck Drivers (+29%, $44,860).
24 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.