Dishwashers
Also called Busser, Dishwasher, Kitchen Steward, or Steward
Updated · Source: O*NET 31.0
What Dishwashers do
You keep a kitchen running by making sure clean pots, plates and workspaces are always ready when the cooks need them.
Dishwashers clean the dishes, glasses, silverware, pots and pans that a kitchen burns through in a shift. Some of that happens by hand at a deep sink, and some goes through a dish machine, the large commercial dishwasher most kitchens use, which cleans a whole tray of dishes (the tray is called a rack) in a few minutes. You also wipe down equipment, sweep and scrub floors, haul trash out, and put clean gear back where it belongs.
The job is bigger than the sink. You stock serving stations, cupboards and salad bars, move supplies between storage and the kitchen, receive deliveries, and sometimes wash and cut food for the cooks. You have your own station, but cooks and servers are in and out of it constantly, so you are talking with people through most of the shift.
A day in the life
You clock in, tie on an apron, and check that the machine is filled and heated. Plates start arriving. You scrape off the food, load the dishes into trays, send them through the machine, and stack the clean ones. You keep clean dishes moving back out so they do not pile up. A cook calls for a specific pot and you get it back fast. Between the busiest stretches, when lots of orders come in at once, you sweep, wipe down equipment, take trash to the pickup area, and restock a serving station that is running low. A delivery arrives and you help carry it to storage. You are standing the whole shift, indoors in a climate-controlled kitchen that can get busy and loud around the dish station. At the end, you take the machine apart, scrub it out, and leave the kitchen ready for tomorrow.
This could fit you if you…
- ✓Like steady physical work and staying on your feet
- ✓Take satisfaction in seeing a messy space turned clean and orderly
- ✓Work well in a busy, fast-moving kitchen where people depend on you
- ✓Want a job you can start without a diploma or degree
- ✓Pick up new routines quickly by watching and doing
You might not like it if you…
- –Need to sit down for much of the day
- –Dislike wet hands, food scraps and strong smells
- –Want quiet and few interruptions while you work
- –Are looking for a field that is expanding, since jobs are projected to change by -1% from 2025 to 2035 while all jobs average +3.5%
How people get in
- 1Look for openings at restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals and cafeterias; about 68,900 openings are projected each year.
- 2Apply in person or online. No formal educational credential is typically required.
- 3Be ready to talk about reliability, showing up on time, and handling a busy shift.
- 4Learn the job on the job. Training is usually short-term, with an experienced coworker showing you the machine, the cleaning products used in the kitchen and how to use them safely, and the kitchen's routines.
- 5Ask to help with food prep, stocking and receiving deliveries so you pick up more of the kitchen's work.
- 6If you enjoy it, use the experience to move toward roles like food preparation worker or dining room attendant. Median pay for dishwashers is $34,810 per year, or $16.73 per hour.
Who tends to enjoy it
Hands-on
People who like building, fixing, working with tools, machines, plants, or animals.
Organizing
People who like keeping things accurate, orderly, and running on schedule.
Helping
People who like teaching, caring for, and working closely with people.
Official task list
Dishwashers clean dishes, kitchen, food preparation equipment, or utensils. (O*NET)
- Wash dishes, glassware, flatware, pots, or pans, using dishwashers or by hand.
- Maintain kitchen work areas, equipment, or utensils in clean and orderly condition.
- Place clean dishes, utensils, or cooking equipment in storage areas.
- Sweep or scrub floors.
- Stock supplies, such as food or utensils, in serving stations, cupboards, refrigerators, or salad bars.
- Clean or prepare various foods for cooking or serving.
- Sort and remove trash, placing it in designated pickup areas.
- Transfer supplies or equipment between storage and work areas, by hand or using hand trucks.
A typical day involves
Skills that matter most
- Operation and Control
- Coordination
- Active Listening
- Time Management
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
What you'll need to know
- English Language
- Food Production
- Education and Training
- Customer and Personal Service
- Public Safety and Security
How much Dishwashers make
The median pay for Dishwashers in the U.S. is $34,810 a year ($16.73 an hour). Most earn between $26,200 and $42,860. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025)
Pay depends a lot on where you live: the median is highest in Washington ($40,080) and lowest in Guam ($21,030).
Pay by state and territory
| State | Median pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $28,930 | 3,540 |
| Alaska | $33,890 | 1,300 |
| Arizona | $35,130 | 10,120 |
| Arkansas | $27,540 | 2,630 |
| California | $37,870 | 74,160 |
| Colorado | $37,840 | 8,500 |
| Connecticut | $35,550 | 7,340 |
| Delaware | $35,780 | 1,520 |
| District of Columbia | $38,670 | 3,580 |
| Florida | $31,240 | 40,480 |
| Georgia | $29,730 | 11,300 |
| Guam | $21,030 | 330 |
| Hawaii | $37,740 | 4,520 |
| Idaho | $29,920 | 2,730 |
| Illinois | $36,180 | 16,250 |
| Indiana | $29,480 | 7,000 |
| Iowa | $29,300 | 3,290 |
| Kansas | $28,060 | 2,480 |
| Kentucky | $29,060 | 4,890 |
| Louisiana | $26,440 | 4,210 |
| Maine | $35,620 | 2,940 |
| Maryland | $34,030 | 9,310 |
| Massachusetts | $37,190 | 14,100 |
| Michigan | $31,300 | 11,510 |
| Minnesota | $34,060 | 8,710 |
| Mississippi | $26,300 | 2,880 |
| Missouri | $32,150 | 7,200 |
| Montana | $30,130 | 2,120 |
| Nebraska | $29,740 | 2,170 |
| Nevada | $34,920 | 11,360 |
| New Hampshire | $34,960 | 2,370 |
| New Jersey | $35,900 | 7,450 |
| New Mexico | $30,520 | 3,250 |
| New York | $35,450 | 30,680 |
| North Carolina | $30,340 | 12,050 |
| North Dakota | $29,980 | 800 |
| Ohio | $29,520 | 14,380 |
| Oklahoma | $27,390 | 4,060 |
| Oregon | $36,040 | 6,680 |
| Pennsylvania | $29,950 | 19,570 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,020 | 1,820 |
| Rhode Island | $33,960 | 2,790 |
| South Carolina | $29,160 | 7,550 |
| South Dakota | $28,190 | 1,240 |
| Tennessee | $30,530 | 7,810 |
| Texas | $29,610 | 33,630 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | $29,710 | 150 |
| Utah | $31,830 | 3,650 |
| Vermont | $36,010 | 1,280 |
| Virginia | $33,130 | 12,520 |
| Washington | $40,080 | 12,630 |
| West Virginia | $26,460 | 1,640 |
| Wisconsin | $29,070 | 8,190 |
| Wyoming | $29,600 | 1,060 |
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Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), occupation 35-9021.00, used under CC BY 4.0 and modified by Whittle. Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC 35-9021. Outlook and entry education: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Program links: NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. How we build these pages.