On this page
- What is inside a cleaning quote
- Step 1: how many labor hours your building needs
- Step 2: what labor costs where you are
- Worked example: wages for a 10,000 sq ft office
- How cleaning companies quote
- What raises or lowers the price
- How to get quotes you can compare
- Find companies in your city
- Get free cleaning quotes
- Frequently asked questions
What is inside a cleaning quote
A commercial cleaning price is mostly labor. At ABM Industries, a publicly traded facility services company, direct labor costs were 68% of total revenue in fiscal 2025 (annual report). The rest covers what it costs to employ that labor and run the business.
| Part of the price | What it covers | Public data |
|---|---|---|
| Wages | Hours cleaners spend in your building | BLS metro wages for janitors (below) |
| Benefits and payroll taxes | Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance, workers' compensation, any paid leave or health coverage | BLS: $5.47 an hour average for private-industry service workers, June 2026 |
| Supplies and equipment | Chemicals, liners, paper (if included), vacuums, floor machines | None published |
| Insurance and bonding | General liability, janitorial bond, auto | None published |
| Supervision and overhead | Inspections, scheduling, office, sales | None published |
| Profit | The company's margin | None published |
For private-industry service workers in June 2026, wages were 76.9% of employer compensation costs; benefits averaged $5.47 an hour, including $2.08 in legally required benefits such as Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance and workers' compensation (BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation).
Step 1: how many labor hours your building needs
Hours per visit follow square footage and the standard you want. The best public benchmark is a federal guide for schools, which estimates how much floor one custodian covers in an 8-hour shift at five levels of cleanliness.
| Cleaning level | What it looks like | Sq ft per custodian per 8-hour shift |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Spotless, as in a hospital or corporate suite | 10,000 to 11,000 |
| Level 2 | The top standard for most school cleaning (restrooms, kitchens, kindergarten areas) | 18,000 to 20,000 |
| Level 3 | The norm for most school facilities | 28,000 to 31,000 |
| Level 4 | Not normally acceptable in a school | 45,000 to 50,000 |
| Level 5 | Can quickly become unhealthy | 85,000 to 90,000 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Planning Guide for Maintaining School Facilities, chapter 5 (2003). NCES notes the real figure depends on flooring, wall coverings, number of windows and other variables.
Hours per visit = square feet divided by the sq ft per shift, times 8. A 10,000 sq ft office at Level 3 needs about 2.6 to 2.9 labor hours per visit; at Level 2, about 4.0 to 4.4. Offices with many restrooms, kitchens or small rooms take longer than open floor plans.
Step 2: what labor costs where you are
BLS reports wages for janitors and cleaners (occupation 37-2011) for every metro area. In May 2025 the national median was $17.71 an hour and the mean $18.64. Across the 62 metro areas in this directory the median runs from $14.44 (New Orleans) to $22.38 (Boston), so the same building costs noticeably more to clean in some cities than others.
Janitor wages in all 62 metro areas
| City page | Metro area (BLS) | Median hourly | Mean hourly | Wages for 10,000 sq ft, 5 nights a week, per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $22.38 | $22.07 | $1,250 to $1,390 |
| Seattle | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $22.35 | $23.74 | $1,250 to $1,380 |
| San Francisco | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $21.24 | $23.42 | $1,190 to $1,310 |
| San Jose | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $21.09 | $22.55 | $1,180 to $1,310 |
| New York | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $20.60 | $21.88 | $1,150 to $1,280 |
| Bakersfield | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $20.43 | $20.69 | $1,140 to $1,260 |
| Sacramento | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $19.93 | $21.38 | $1,110 to $1,230 |
| Portland | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $19.79 | $21.17 | $1,110 to $1,230 |
| Riverside | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $19.64 | $21.27 | $1,100 to $1,220 |
| Minneapolis | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $19.62 | $20.27 | $1,100 to $1,210 |
| Madison | Madison, WI | $19.08 | $19.58 | $1,070 to $1,180 |
| Las Vegas | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $18.90 | $19.43 | $1,060 to $1,170 |
| Denver | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $18.67 | $20.26 | $1,040 to $1,160 |
| Irvine / Los Angeles | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $18.62 | $20.70 | $1,040 to $1,150 |
| Chicago | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $18.49 | $19.90 | $1,030 to $1,140 |
| San Diego | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $18.49 | $20.18 | $1,030 to $1,140 |
| Fresno | Fresno, CA | $18.26 | $19.99 | $1,020 to $1,130 |
| Washington | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $18.19 | $19.07 | $1,020 to $1,130 |
| Colorado Springs | Colorado Springs, CO | $18.03 | $19.15 | $1,010 to $1,120 |
| Buffalo | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $17.97 | $18.92 | $1,000 to $1,110 |
| Columbus | Columbus, OH | $17.94 | $18.64 | $1,000 to $1,110 |
| Reno | Reno, NV | $17.89 | $18.03 | $1,000 to $1,110 |
| Austin | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $17.75 | $17.82 | $990 to $1,100 |
| Philadelphia | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $17.75 | $19.04 | $990 to $1,100 |
| Indianapolis | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $17.72 | $17.82 | $990 to $1,100 |
| Honolulu | Urban Honolulu, HI | $17.67 | $18.93 | $990 to $1,090 |
| Detroit | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $17.63 | $18.16 | $990 to $1,090 |
| Milwaukee | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $17.61 | $18.56 | $980 to $1,090 |
| St. Louis | St. Louis, MO-IL | $17.61 | $18.62 | $980 to $1,090 |
| Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, PA | $17.55 | $18.17 | $980 to $1,090 |
| Baltimore | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $17.53 | $18.67 | $980 to $1,090 |
| Kansas City | Kansas City, MO-KS | $17.48 | $18.24 | $980 to $1,080 |
| Phoenix / Scottsdale | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $17.44 | $18.33 | $980 to $1,080 |
| Cleveland | Cleveland, OH | $17.42 | $18.26 | $970 to $1,080 |
| Tucson | Tucson, AZ | $17.40 | $17.78 | $970 to $1,080 |
| Boise | Boise City, ID | $17.38 | $18.26 | $970 to $1,080 |
| Nashville | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $17.37 | $17.85 | $970 to $1,080 |
| Cincinnati | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $17.32 | $18.18 | $970 to $1,070 |
| Atlanta | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $17.28 | $17.36 | $970 to $1,070 |
| Charlotte | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $17.12 | $16.78 | $960 to $1,060 |
| Omaha | Omaha, NE-IA | $17.12 | $17.88 | $960 to $1,060 |
| Lexington | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $17.05 | $17.44 | $950 to $1,060 |
| Albuquerque | Albuquerque, NM | $17.04 | $17.36 | $950 to $1,050 |
| Jacksonville | Jacksonville, FL | $17.04 | $17.44 | $950 to $1,050 |
| Toledo | Toledo, OH | $16.94 | $17.64 | $950 to $1,050 |
| Louisville | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $16.83 | $17.41 | $940 to $1,040 |
| Raleigh | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $16.82 | $16.79 | $940 to $1,040 |
| Dallas / Fort Worth | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $16.76 | $17.06 | $940 to $1,040 |
| Tampa | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $16.73 | $16.83 | $940 to $1,040 |
| Orlando | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $16.63 | $16.71 | $930 to $1,030 |
| San Antonio | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $16.61 | $16.46 | $930 to $1,030 |
| Greensboro | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $16.60 | $16.23 | $930 to $1,030 |
| Richmond | Richmond, VA | $16.44 | $16.93 | $920 to $1,020 |
| Miami | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $16.43 | $16.80 | $920 to $1,020 |
| Virginia Beach | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $16.15 | $16.73 | $900 to $1,000 |
| Memphis | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $15.66 | $16.49 | $880 to $970 |
| Wichita | Wichita, KS | $15.63 | $16.41 | $870 to $970 |
| Tulsa | Tulsa, OK | $15.47 | $16.17 | $860 to $960 |
| Oklahoma City | Oklahoma City, OK | $15.36 | $15.76 | $860 to $950 |
| Houston | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $14.74 | $15.70 | $820 to $910 |
| El Paso | El Paso, TX | $14.72 | $15.05 | $820 to $910 |
| New Orleans | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $14.44 | $15.42 | $810 to $890 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, metro area tables; occupation profile 37-2011.
Worked example: wages for a 10,000 sq ft office
Wages only, at the national median of $17.71 an hour, with about 4.33 weeks to a month. This is the floor inside a quote, not a price: add benefits and payroll taxes, supplies, insurance, supervision, overhead and profit.
| Standard and schedule | Labor hours per visit | Labor hours per month | Wages per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 3 (normal), 5 nights a week | 2.6 to 2.9 | 56 to 62 | $990 to $1,100 |
| Level 3 (normal), 3 times a week | 2.6 to 2.9 | 34 to 37 | $590 to $660 |
| Level 3 (normal), once a week | 2.6 to 2.9 | 11 to 12 | $200 to $220 |
| Level 2 (higher), 5 nights a week | 4.0 to 4.4 | 87 to 96 | $1,530 to $1,710 |
| Level 2 (higher), 3 times a week | 4.0 to 4.4 | 52 to 58 | $920 to $1,020 |
| Level 2 (higher), once a week | 4.0 to 4.4 | 17 to 19 | $310 to $340 |
Each city page repeats the 5-nights-a-week, Level 3 line with that metro's own median wage.
How cleaning companies quote
- Monthly flat rate: the most common for recurring janitorial work. One price for a fixed schedule and task list.
- Per visit: for weekly or less frequent cleaning, or one-time deep cleans.
- Per square foot: common for floor care (stripping, refinishing, carpet extraction) and post-construction cleaning.
- Hourly: common for day porters and on-call work, priced per hour on site.
Whatever the format, ask each company to state the labor hours per visit it priced. That is the number that lets you compare quotes honestly.
What raises or lowers the price
Pushes the price up
- More restrooms, kitchens and small rooms per square foot
- A higher standard (Level 2 or 1)
- After-hours or weekend-only access windows
- Contractor-supplied paper and soap
- Periodic floor, carpet and window work bundled in
- Higher local wages
Brings it down
- Fewer visits per week
- Open floor plans and hard floors
- Clear desks and a tidy building
- Client-supplied paper and soap
- Flexible access hours
How to get quotes you can compare
- Write a scope with tasks and frequencies (use our checklist).
- Give every company the same scope, square footage and access hours.
- Ask for labor hours per visit, crew size, supplies included, and periodic services included.
- Check insurance and bonding before you compare price (see the hiring guide).
Find companies in your city
We list the most-reviewed janitorial and commercial cleaning companies in 65 cities, with Google ratings, phone numbers and local wage data. Pick your city.
Get free cleaning quotes
Tell us about your facility and we will pass your request to commercial cleaning companies that serve your area. You can also contact any company listed on this page directly.
Quote requests go to partner cleaning companies, which may not be the companies listed on this page. Submitting is free and does not obligate you to hire anyone.
Frequently asked questions
How much is janitorial service?
We know of no public source that publishes contract prices, so the honest answer is a method: labor hours per visit times visits per month times local wages, plus benefits, supplies, insurance, overhead and profit. At the national median wage of $17.71 an hour, the wages alone for a 10,000 sq ft office cleaned 5 nights a week at the NCES Level 3 rate are about $990 to $1,100 a month.
How much do cleaners charge for commercial cleaning?
Most charge a monthly flat rate for recurring work, per visit or per square foot for one-time and floor work, and per hour for day porters. Rates follow local wages, which BLS reports for every metro; ask each company for the labor hours behind its price.
How many square feet can a custodian clean in 8 hours?
About 28,000 to 31,000 sq ft at the normal school standard (Level 3), 18,000 to 20,000 at Level 2 and 10,000 to 11,000 at the spotless Level 1, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Floors, walls and windows change the figure.
Why do cleaning quotes vary so much?
Mostly because companies price different labor hours: a different task list, standard or crew speed. Supplies, insurance and overhead add more spread. Give every company the same written scope and ask for hours per visit.
How much do janitors make?
The national median wage for janitors and cleaners was $17.71 an hour ($36,840 a year) in May 2025, according to BLS. Each city page shows its metro figure.
Is commercial cleaning priced per square foot?
Floor care, carpet extraction and post-construction work often are. Recurring janitorial service is usually a monthly price, even when the company works it out from square footage.