Food Service · Career brief

Dishwashers

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Dishwashers at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$34,810

Lower national median pay

2025 national median. Bottom quarter for pay among careers on ChooseField.

2Demand

-1%

Projected employment decline

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Bottom quarter for growth among careers on ChooseField.

3Openings

68,900

Exceptional hiring volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Top 10% for openings among careers on ChooseField.

4Route in

No formal credential

A four-year degree is not the typical entry route

No formal educational credential. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Hands-on

Practical work with tools, systems, or physical environments

Wash dishes, glassware, flatware, pots, or pans, using dishwashers or by hand.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

BLS projects employment to shrink 1% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

ChooseField take

The standout national signal is opening volume; it ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if hands-on work appeals to you and you are comfortable with entry without a formal credential. Main tradeoff: BLS projects employment to shrink 1% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

Before choosing, compare:Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Bartenders Food Preparation Workers

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Dishwashers with another field Explore rankings in Food Service Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$34,810

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

-1%employment growth68,900openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

No formal educational credential; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

480,400

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Dishwashers (35-9021).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Wash dishes, glassware, flatware, pots, or pans, using dishwashers or by hand.
Maintain kitchen work areas, equipment, or utensils in clean and orderly condition.
Sort and remove trash, placing it in designated pickup areas.
Place clean dishes, utensils, or cooking equipment in storage areas.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

BLS projects employment to shrink 1% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.
Long periods of standing are part of the normal workday.
Hands-on manipulation of tools, controls, or objects occupies a meaningful part of the workday.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Handling and Moving Objects3.4
Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.3
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.1
Training and Teaching Others3.1
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.0

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Realistic7.0
Conventional4.5
Social1.8
Enterprising1.4
Artistic1.0
Investigative1.0

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Food Production Public Safety and Security Communications and Media Transportation

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Prepare the same item more than once under a time and cost limit, then improve consistency using another person's feedback.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Dishwashers nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Monitoring among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options

Compare before committing

The useful question is not whether one field wins overall, but what changes when you choose a nearby path. Explore the full career guides for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant, Bartenders, Food Preparation Workers, Cooks, Fast Food.