SalaryExplorer

SOC 35-9021 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS

Dishwashers — Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA · 10 metro areas compared

$38,810 /year
$18.66per hour
1,160jobs in area
+11.5%vs US median

In Santa Rosa, CA the median wage for Dishwashers is $38,810 a year, which is 11.5% higher than the national figure of $34,810.

Wage distribution · annual

Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners

US MEDIAN $34,81010TH$37,28025TH$37,770MEDIAN$38,81075TH$42,26090TH$45,160

How pay has moved

$41,333$26,1982019202020212022202320242025$38,810
$28,720 in 2019 to $38,810 in 2025, +35.1% before inflation. BLS states that OEWS estimates are not designed for comparison across years: the occupational classification, the sampling frame and the survey method have all changed inside this window. Read the direction, not the exact difference.

The next ten years

Projected to grow more slowly than average

Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
+0.2%
Openings per year
76,800
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training

Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.

Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA.

Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.

Salary overview

In Santa Rosa, CA the median wage for Dishwashers is $38,810 a year, which is 11.5% higher than the national figure of $34,810. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $37,770 and $42,260. The lowest tenth earn under $37,280, while the highest tenth earn more than $45,160.

The area has 1,160 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 5.7 of every thousand jobs. Within the state, San Jose records the highest median at $43,960. Of the 419 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 403rd.

Percentile breakdown

Annual wages by percentile · Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA · May 2025
PercentileAnnualvs US median
10th$37,280+7.1%
25th$37,770+8.5%
Median (50th)$38,810+11.5%
75th$42,260+21.4%
90th$45,160+29.7%
Mean$40,220+15.5%

Why the average earner is usually not a typical earner

Other metro areas in California

Median annual wage for Dishwashers, by metro area
#Metro areaMedianJobsRelative
1San Jose$43,9603,940
2San Francisco$42,1009,530
3Napa$39,930590
4San Diego$38,5307,790
5Vallejo$37,910530
6Los Angeles$37,58027,520
7Santa Cruz$37,380510
8Salinas$37,350970
9Santa Maria$37,2901,150
10Sacramento$36,9304,030

What the pay is worth locally

Prices in Santa Rosa run 7.8% above the national average, so the median of $38,810 buys what $36,002 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 3.4% above the national median in real terms.

Published median

$38,810as reported by BLS

Local price level

107.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Adjusted for local prices

$36,002US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest

Key takeaways

  • Median pay is $38,810 a year, 11.5% above the national median.
  • Published pay spans $37,280 to $45,160 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
  • The area has 1,160 jobs in this occupation.
  • The highest-paying metro area covered is San Jose, at $43,960.

Frequently asked questions

What is the median wage for Dishwashers in Santa Rosa, CA?

The median annual wage is $38,810, or $18.66 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.

Is that higher than the national average?

The national median for this occupation is $34,810, so pay in Santa Rosa, CA is 11.5% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.

What do the top earners make?

The top tenth of this occupation in Santa Rosa, CA earns more than $45,160 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.

What is the starting range?

The tenth percentile wage is $37,280 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.

Which area nearby pays the most?

The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in San Jose, at $43,960 per year.

How many jobs are there in this occupation here?

The survey estimates 1,160 jobs in this occupation in Santa Rosa, CA. Self-employed workers are not included.

Source and methodology

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.