Car washes: A low-wage industry
For Los Angeles County alone in 2020, there were 5,940 car wash employees earning an average annual pay of $20,629.
| Los Angeles County | LA County | California | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 576 | 2,015 | |
| Employees | 5,940 | 24,006 | |
| Annual payroll | $123M | $562M | |
Industry comparison: Average annual pay per employee | |||
| Transportation & warehousing | $55,365
|
$57,076
| |
| Automotive repair & maintenance | $35,669
|
$39,179
| |
| Retail trade | $35,186
|
$35,231
| |
| Car washes | $20,629
|
$23,418
| |
| Accommodation & food services | $19,097
|
$19,715
| |
Source: 2020 data from Census County Business Patterns
Note: “Car washes” is a subset of the “Automotive repair and maintenance” industry category.
Credit: Erica Yee & Lil Kalish, CalMatters