How much does a house cleaner make in District of Columbia?
In District of Columbia, maids and housekeeping cleaners earned an average of $21.83 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $20.32 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$21.83
$20.32
$17.83
$4.00 more an hour
$45,406
By the hour, the week and the year in District of Columbia
At 40 hours a week, the average of $21.83 an hour comes to $873.20 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $45,406 a year, and the median of $20.32 to $42,266 a year.
In District of Columbia, the average is $1.51 above the median (7.4%): a smaller group of higher wages pulls the average up, and half of maids and housekeeping cleaners earn $20.32 an hour or less.
How does District of Columbia compare?
The average in District of Columbia is $4.00 above the national average of $17.83 (22.4% more), about $8,320 more a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, District of Columbia ranks 4 of 51 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $17.07 an hour.
District of Columbia and its Census division, South Atlantic
Of the 9 states of the division with data for this trade, District of Columbia pays the highest average, $21.83; next comes Maryland with $17.40.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against District of Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $21.83 | $20.32 | |
| Maryland | $17.40 | $17.07 | -$4.43 |
| Florida | $16.78 | $16.28 | -$5.05 |
| Virginia | $16.59 | $16.26 | -$5.24 |
| Delaware | $16.49 | $16.42 | -$5.34 |
| North Carolina | $16.07 | $15.05 | -$5.76 |
| Georgia | $15.02 | $14.31 | -$6.81 |
| South Carolina | $14.88 | $14.55 | -$6.95 |
| West Virginia | $13.97 | $13.51 | -$7.86 |
This trade and the others in District of Columbia
Of the 4 trades this site prices, maids and housekeeping cleaners rank 4 of the 4 by average wage in District of Columbia. Among them, the average runs from $21.83 (Cleaning) to $30.90 (Concrete).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against cleaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | $30.90 | $29.65 | +$9.07 |
| Painting | $29.92 | $28.61 | +$8.09 |
| Landscaping | $24.62 | $23.46 | +$2.79 |
| Cleaning | $21.83 | $20.32 |
Against the minimum wage in District of Columbia
The minimum wage in District of Columbia is $18.40 an hour for most employers. The median of maids and housekeeping cleaners, $20.32, is $1.92 above it, 10.4% more than the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $38,272 a year.
From wage to rate
This is what an employer pays an employee, not what a contractor bills. Your rate also has to cover your overhead (vehicle, insurance, tools), your profit, and the hours you cannot bill.
If you pay a helper the median wage in District of Columbia, $20.32 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the cleaning calculator cost $162.56 in wages. With its $20.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $230.94; at the national median, $17.07, the same job comes to $198.05. A wage is only the floor: your own rate also pays your taxes, your unbilled hours and your business.