Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment Salary in Detroit, MI
Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area earn a median $34,780 a year — 3% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $28,898 take-home, or $2,408 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cleaner of vehicles and equipment salary in Detroit, MI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,994
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,156
- Medicare (1.45%)$504
- Michigan income tax$1,227
- Take-home pay$28,898
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.25% state
Living in Detroit? City residents also pay Detroit’s city income tax — about $835 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $28,064 ($2,339 a month). Choose “Detroit” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment pay by experience in Detroit, MI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $25,960 | $12.48 | $22,136 | $1,845 |
| 25th percentile | $28,900 | $13.89 | $24,424 | $2,035 |
| Median (50th) | $34,780 | $16.72 | $28,898 | $2,408 |
| 75th percentile | $37,270 | $17.92 | $30,793 | $2,566 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,540 | $21.89 | $37,087 | $3,091 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Michigan resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $34,780 buys in Detroit, MI
Prices in Detroit, MI are 0.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 5% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cleaner of vehicles and equipment's $28,898 take-home pay has the buying power of $28,812 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment jobs are about as common in Detroit, MI as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.89).
Best-paying cities for cleaners of vehicles and equipment, adjusted for cost of living
Detroit, MI ranks #19 of 33 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cincinnati, OH | $36,680 | $31,426 | $32,952 |
| 2 | Nashville, TN | $36,760 | $31,717 | $32,922 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $42,750 | $36,530 | $32,870 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $41,600 | $34,484 | $32,599 |
| 5 | Cleveland, OH | $35,500 | $30,510 | $32,484 |
| 6 | Kansas City, MO | $35,480 | $29,958 | $32,372 |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | $44,350 | $36,475 | $31,550 |
| 8 | St. Louis, MO | $35,220 | $29,761 | $31,299 |
| 19 | Detroit, MI | $34,780 | $28,898 | $28,812 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 33 metros →
About the job: cleaners of vehicles and equipment
Wash or otherwise clean vehicles, machinery, and other equipment. Use such materials as water, cleaning agents, brushes, cloths, and hoses.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +3.9% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cleaner of vehicles and equipment make in Detroit, MI?
The median cleaner of vehicles and equipment salary in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area is $34,780 a year, or about $16.72 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $28,900 and $37,270.
What is a cleaner of vehicles and equipment’s take-home pay in Detroit, MI?
On the median $34,780 salary, a single filer living in Michigan takes home about $28,898 a year ($2,408 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,227 in Michigan taxes in 2026.
Is Detroit, MI a good place to work as a cleaner of vehicles and equipment?
Pay here is 3% below the national median of $35,830. Local prices are 0.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $28,812 would in a typical U.S. city. Detroit, MI ranks #19 of 33 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cleaner of vehicles and equipment afford rent in Detroit, MI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Detroit, MI is $1,128 a month ($1,413 for two bedrooms) — 47% of a median cleaner of vehicles and equipment’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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