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Career

Dishwashers

Typical education: High school diplomaLower pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Clean dishes, kitchen, food preparation equipment, or utensils.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $34,810 Median per year · $16.73/hr Most earn $26,200–$42,860

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Maintain kitchen work areas, equipment, or utensils in clean and orderly condition.
  • Stock supplies, such as food or utensils, in serving stations, cupboards, refrigerators, or salad bars.
  • Clean garbage cans with water or steam.
  • Clean or prepare various foods for cooking or serving.
  • Wash dishes, glassware, flatware, pots, or pans, using dishwashers or by hand.
  • Transfer supplies or equipment between storage and work areas, by hand or using hand trucks.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Numerous Job Openings

United States
1% fewer jobs by 2035, little or no change · about 68,900 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Full-service restaurants64.5%
  • Special food services6.3%
  • Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly2.3%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: Up to 1 month

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: Up to 1 monthEntry-level

Dishwasher is an entry-level job. Most people can start with a high school diploma and little or no prior experience, usually within a month of learning the job.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finishing high school gives you the basic education most dishwashing jobs ask for, and it shows employers you can be reliable.

  2. Dishwasher

    Up to 1 month to learn the job

    You start by cleaning dishes, utensils, and kitchen equipment, and learning how a busy kitchen runs. Good work here can lead to kitchen roles that involve more cooking skill.

Where it can lead

  1. Food Preparation Worker

    A few months as a dishwasher or kitchen helper of experience first

    You move from cleaning to prepping ingredients, like washing, chopping, and portioning food, and you learn kitchen safety and food handling.

  2. Line Cook

    A few months to a year in food prep or kitchen work of experience first

    You start cooking menu items on a station during service, which takes speed, timing, and a solid understanding of cooking methods.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take family and consumer science or culinary classesLearning basic food safety, knife skills, and kitchen rules gives you a head start in any kitchen job.
  • Get a part-time job or volunteer in a kitchenWorking at a restaurant, cafeteria, or community kitchen teaches you the pace of food service and how to work with a team.
  • Build a habit of being on time and dependableEmployers in kitchens value reliability most, so keeping your attendance and effort strong now sets you up well for future jobs.
  • Ask a school counselor or teacher about food safety certificatesSome schools offer food handler training or can point you to local courses that can go on your resume.

In college

  • Take a food safety or food handler courseA short certificate shows employers you understand safe food handling, which helps you stand out for kitchen jobs.
  • Work a part-time job in food serviceShifts at a campus dining hall, restaurant, or catering company give you hands-on experience and let you see how kitchens are organized.
  • Take a nutrition or culinary classCourses in nutrition or cooking help you understand food prep, which is a common next step from dishwashing.
  • Volunteer at a community kitchen or food bankVolunteering builds teamwork skills and gives you experience handling food and working in a fast-paced space.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask your kitchen manager what they want to see before you can move up, such as being on time, keeping a clean station, or learning a new task. Showing that you are dependable is often the fastest route to more responsibility.
  • Pay attention to how the cooks prep and cook food. Watching closely and asking good questions builds the skills you need for the next job.
  • Learn food safety basics early. Many food service workers take a short food handler course, which is often inexpensive and can make you a stronger job candidate.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

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