Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment Salary in Houston, TX

Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area earn a median $29,650 a year — 17% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $26,004 take-home, or $2,167 a month.

Median salary
$29,650
$14.25 per hour
Typical range
$23,180 – $44,090
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Houston, TX
9,020
1.12× national concentration
▼0.5%
Pay trend: The median for cleaners of vehicles and equipment in Houston, TX fell from $29,810 (May 2024) to $29,650 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 2.9%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median cleaner of vehicles and equipment salary in Houston, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment in Houston, TX
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$26,004
per year · effective tax rate 12.3%
$2,167Monthly
$1,083Twice a month
$1,000Every 2 weeks
$12.50Hourly
  • Federal income tax$1,378
  • Social Security (6.2%)$1,838
  • Medicare (1.45%)$430
  • Texas income tax$0
  • Take-home pay$26,004

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment pay by experience in Houston, TX

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$23,180$11.14$20,699$1,725
25th percentile$27,810$13.37$24,512$2,043
Median (50th)$29,650$14.25$26,004$2,167
75th percentile$36,090$17.35$31,178$2,598
90th percentile (top earners)$44,090$21.20$37,606$3,134

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $29,650 buys in Houston, TX

Prices in Houston, TX are 1.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cleaner of vehicles and equipment's $26,004 take-home pay has the buying power of $26,365 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,316
61% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,558
72% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$851
per month for everything else

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 Houston, TX as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.12).

Best-paying cities for cleaners of vehicles and equipment, adjusted for cost of living

Houston, TX ranks #32 of 33 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Cincinnati, OH $36,680$31,426$32,952
2Nashville, TN $36,760$31,717$32,922
3Seattle, WA $42,750$36,530$32,870
4Denver, CO $41,600$34,484$32,599
5Cleveland, OH $35,500$30,510$32,484
6Kansas City, MO $35,480$29,958$32,372
7San Francisco, CA $44,350$36,475$31,550
8St. Louis, MO $35,220$29,761$31,299
32Houston, TX$29,650$26,004$26,365

*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.

Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment salaries elsewhere in Texas

Frequently asked questions

How much does a cleaner of vehicles and equipment make in Houston, TX?

The median cleaner of vehicles and equipment salary in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $29,650 a year, or about $14.25 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $27,810 and $36,090.

What is a cleaner of vehicles and equipment’s take-home pay in Houston, TX?

On the median $29,650 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $26,004 a year ($2,167 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.

Is Houston, TX a good place to work as a cleaner of vehicles and equipment?

Pay here is 17% below the national median of $35,830. Local prices are 1.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $26,365 would in a typical U.S. city. Houston, TX ranks #32 of 33 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a cleaner of vehicles and equipment afford rent in Houston, TX?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Houston, TX is $1,316 a month ($1,558 for two bedrooms) — 61% 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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