Auto Detailer salary by state
The national median for auto detailers was $17.23 an hour, or $35,830 a year, in May 2025. Where the work is changes that a lot: the District of Columbia pays $7.26 an hour more at the median than Louisiana.
$17.23National median hourly
$35,830National median yearly
380,430Auto Detailers on payrolls
51States and DC with figures
National pay for auto detailers
BLS has no separate figure for auto detailers. These are its numbers for cleaners of vehicles and equipment, the group that holds auto detailers along with car wash attendants and equipment cleaners.
| Pay level | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $13.17 | $27,380 |
| 25th percentile | $14.62 | $30,420 |
| Median | $17.23 | $35,830 |
| 75th percentile | $19.73 | $41,040 |
| 90th percentile | $22.89 | $47,610 |
| Average (mean) | $17.78 | $36,980 |
Highest and lowest paying states
Ranked by median hourly wage. These are wages as paid, not adjusted for living costs.
| Top 5 | Median hourly | Median yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 1. District of Columbia | $20.53 | $42,710 |
| 2. Alaska | $19.33 | $40,210 |
| 3. Washington | $19.26 | $40,070 |
| 4. Colorado | $19.04 | $39,610 |
| 5. Vermont | $19.01 | $39,530 |
| Bottom 5 | Median hourly | Median yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 51. Louisiana | $13.27 | $27,600 |
| 50. Mississippi | $13.77 | $28,640 |
| 49. Alabama | $14.11 | $29,360 |
| 48. West Virginia | $14.13 | $29,390 |
| 47. Texas | $14.16 | $29,450 |
Auto Detailer pay in every state
Pick a state for its full page: the pay range, how it compares with its neighbors, how many auto detailers work there and what a business should charge.
| State | Median hourly | Median yearly | Bottom to top tenth | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $14.11 | $29,360 | $11.34 to $20.00 | 6,440 |
| Alaska | $19.33 | $40,210 | $17.15 to $28.04 | 620 |
| Arizona | $17.02 | $35,410 | $15.00 to $22.46 | 6,260 |
| Arkansas | $16.81 | $34,970 | $12.91 to $20.40 | 5,140 |
| California | $18.23 | $37,920 | $16.77 to $23.60 | 46,030 |
| Colorado | $19.04 | $39,610 | $17.00 to $23.77 | 6,750 |
| Connecticut | $17.25 | $35,870 | $16.35 to $22.07 | 3,480 |
| Delaware | $18.00 | $37,440 | $15.00 to $21.20 | 1,280 |
| District of Columbia | $20.53 | $42,710 | $17.50 to $26.22 | 350 |
| Florida | $16.05 | $33,380 | $13.61 to $21.70 | 24,920 |
| Georgia | $14.72 | $30,610 | $11.48 to $22.18 | 12,180 |
| Hawaii | $18.06 | $37,560 | $15.22 to $25.73 | 1,180 |
| Idaho | $17.13 | $35,640 | $12.71 to $21.36 | 2,840 |
| Illinois | $17.27 | $35,930 | $15.00 to $26.92 | 16,350 |
| Indiana | $16.80 | $34,940 | $12.97 to $23.04 | 7,520 |
| Iowa | $17.27 | $35,920 | $13.52 to $21.81 | 4,190 |
| Kansas | $17.96 | $37,370 | $13.76 to $22.15 | 6,410 |
| Kentucky | $16.57 | $34,470 | $13.11 to $23.92 | 5,580 |
| Louisiana | $13.27 | $27,600 | $10.20 to $21.15 | 4,140 |
| Maine | $18.00 | $37,440 | $14.86 to $24.08 | 1,150 |
| Maryland | $17.49 | $36,390 | $15.00 to $26.99 | 6,010 |
| Massachusetts | $18.57 | $38,630 | $15.79 to $23.34 | 5,100 |
| Michigan | $16.29 | $33,890 | $12.48 to $21.70 | 10,320 |
| Minnesota | $18.07 | $37,580 | $14.88 to $22.93 | 4,460 |
| Mississippi | $13.77 | $28,640 | $10.11 to $18.14 | 2,790 |
| Missouri | $16.67 | $34,670 | $13.75 to $22.42 | 9,150 |
| Montana | $17.55 | $36,510 | $14.10 to $22.50 | 1,490 |
| Nebraska | $17.87 | $37,160 | $14.45 to $24.19 | 4,570 |
| Nevada | $16.46 | $34,230 | $12.40 to $21.21 | 3,790 |
| New Hampshire | $17.99 | $37,420 | $14.52 to $23.14 | 1,030 |
| New Jersey | $17.83 | $37,090 | $15.49 to $22.33 | 9,930 |
| New Mexico | $14.57 | $30,310 | $12.91 to $19.78 | 1,820 |
| New York | $18.94 | $39,390 | $16.17 to $34.70 | 20,390 |
| North Carolina | $16.09 | $33,470 | $10.83 to $21.40 | 13,820 |
| North Dakota | $17.93 | $37,290 | $14.49 to $22.21 | 1,330 |
| Ohio | $16.94 | $35,230 | $13.04 to $21.96 | 13,750 |
| Oklahoma | $14.85 | $30,880 | $11.07 to $21.54 | 5,080 |
| Oregon | $18.30 | $38,070 | $15.94 to $24.30 | 5,550 |
| Pennsylvania | $16.66 | $34,650 | $12.22 to $22.56 | 11,710 |
| Rhode Island | $17.95 | $37,340 | $15.00 to $25.00 | 780 |
| South Carolina | $16.46 | $34,230 | $11.03 to $20.66 | 5,720 |
| South Dakota | $16.85 | $35,050 | $13.42 to $20.69 | 1,510 |
| Tennessee | $16.80 | $34,950 | $12.67 to $22.75 | 8,420 |
| Texas | $14.16 | $29,450 | $11.02 to $20.88 | 37,750 |
| Utah | $16.78 | $34,900 | $13.68 to $21.68 | 4,580 |
| Vermont | $19.01 | $39,530 | $15.34 to $23.68 | 620 |
| Virginia | $16.56 | $34,450 | $13.24 to $22.84 | 8,860 |
| Washington | $19.26 | $40,070 | $17.05 to $25.06 | 8,270 |
| West Virginia | $14.13 | $29,390 | $11.50 to $17.66 | 1,260 |
| Wisconsin | $16.96 | $35,280 | $12.63 to $22.78 | 7,040 |
| Wyoming | $16.29 | $33,890 | $13.14 to $20.48 | 720 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 53-7061, cleaners of vehicles and equipment, all industries. Read from the BLS state and national data files. Counts leave out the self-employed.
From a wage to a price
If you run the business, the wage is only the start. At the national median of $17.23, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) give a rate of $100.85 per billable hour. Try yours in the labor rate calculator.
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