Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers build operation and control, social perceptiveness 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 Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders (89%).
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 | Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | 89% | $43,530 | +25% | None |
| 2 | Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | 84% | $35,830 | +3% | None |
| 3 | Packers and Packagers, Hand | 84% | $36,280 | +4% | None |
| 4 | Machine Feeders and Offbearers | 84% | $41,220 | +18% | None |
| 5 | Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers | 83% | $41,600 | +19% | None |
| 6 | Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 81% | $43,220 | +24% | None |
| 7 | Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders | 81% | $46,460 | +33% | None |
| 8 | Helpers--Production Workers | 81% | $39,070 | +12% | None |
| 9 | Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic | 80% | $46,170 | +32% | None |
| 10 | Cutters and Trimmers, Hand | 79% | $38,020 | +9% | None |
Compared with Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers, median $34,890. 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 laundry and dry-cleaning workers (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.
89% skill match · $43,530 · +25% pay
Complex Problem Solving · Operations Monitoring · Equipment Selection
84% skill match · $35,830 · +3% pay
Equipment Selection · Quality Control Analysis · Management of Material Resources
84% skill match · $36,280 · +4% pay
Programming
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders (89% skill match, median $43,530), Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment (84% skill match, median $35,830) and Packers and Packagers, Hand (84% skill match, median $36,280), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 23 pay more than laundry and dry-cleaning workers at the median. The biggest increases: Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators (+68%, $58,470), Tire Builders (+64%, $57,390) and Pourers and Casters, Metal (+48%, $51,810).
25 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.