Job title · California

Custodian (schools & public buildings) in California

California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) lists 2 job classes for this work in the California state pay plan: Custodian I–II.

$33,260 – $57,696
state pay plan range, a year
2
classes in the state plan
$41,090
median pay in CA, all employers
234,240
workers in CA (SOC 37-2011)

Sources: California Department of Human Resources (CalHR), California State Civil Service Pay Scales — Section 17 Schematic Listing (with Section 16 Schematic Arrangement of Classes); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

California state pay plan Sourced

Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective September 14, 2026. These are the ranges California sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.

Class and gradePublished rate
Custodian I
Class 2011
Grade 2011 Range A
$3,326.00 – $4,163.00 a month
$39,912 – $49,956 a year
Grade 2011 Range B
$3,659.00 – $4,578.00 a month
$43,908 – $54,936 a year
Grade 2011 Range F
$2,771.67 – $3,469.17 a month
$33,260 – $41,630 a year
Grade 2011 Range G
$3,049.17 – $3,815.00 a month
$36,590 – $45,780 a year
Custodian II
Class 2003
Grade 2003 Range A
$3,492.00 – $4,371.00 a month
$41,904 – $52,452 a year
Grade 2003 Range B
$3,841.00 – $4,808.00 a month
$46,092 – $57,696 a year

Schedule: Civil Service Pay Scale (Section 17, by schematic code). Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).

Source: California Department of Human Resources (CalHR), California State Civil Service Pay Scales — Section 17 Schematic Listing (with Section 16 Schematic Arrangement of Classes). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Pay in California, all employers Sourced

Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners (SOC 37-2011) in California, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.

MeasureCA
Workers234,240
10th percentile$35,610
Median$41,090
90th percentile$58,950
National median, government employers$39,640

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Employers in California

988 school districts in California, largest Los Angeles Unified, San Diego Unified, Fresno Unified.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data, 2024–25 local education agency universe (directory and staff). Data captured September 30, 2026.

More about this job

Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Custodian (schools & public buildings) page.

Custodian (schools & public buildings) in other states