How Much Do NBA Janitors Make on Average?

For every industry to be thriving, someone has to do the dirty work. For a worldwide, billion-dollar industry like the NBA to flourish, it has to be a product of everyone working together toward the same goal. While the focus is always on the players, other people like janitors and waterboys keep the ball rolling, so to speak. Speaking of janitors, how much do NBA janitors make on average?

Before delving into this subject, it’s essential to know that honest living is always something to be proud of. Some may look down upon Janitors, but they are earning an honest wage, which is all that matters. What’s more, if you’re lucky enough to be a janitor or mop boy in the NBA, then the salary is not really so bad, more than enough to be in the middle class in the United States.

How to Become an NBA Janitor? Qualifications & Requirements

There really is no definite answer to this question. Like any other job, you will need to have a combination of persistence and luck. “Persistence” since you may have to research and contact a specific organization’s Human Resources department. How will you do that?

Again, you have to be persistent and relentless. LinkedIn is an excellent place to start. You may search the specific company and enter keywords such as “Human Resources,” “Talent Acquisition,” or “Recruiter,” and you may stumble upon the person/s in charge. Make Google your friend. If you can’t find their emails on LinkedIn, you can directly search for them. When all of these ways don’t let you through, you can try NBA.com’s career page and see what goes.

Although it could be different from organization to organization, there are also rumors that most hire in-house. That means you can’t get any of these posts unless you have connections inside. Some organizations allow recommendations from their inside guys, although that’s not an absolute requirement. 

With that being said, without experience in the field and education, likely, you won’t be considered for one of the NBA floor cleaner jobs. To stand out from the hundreds of applications, you need to make an impression regarding your employment and educational background.

How Much Do NBA Janitors Make?

Again, NBA janitor salary may vary depending on the organization and the state. Massachusetts, Washington, and New York have the highest mean salary for janitors (over $36,000), followed by Connecticut and District of Columbia.

But since this is the NBA, you will have to expect that janitor salaries exceed the mean wage of the usual janitorial services. Again, there isn’t any concrete data about NBA janitors’ salaries, but we can ascertain it using other related information. 

For example, a waterboy of the Boston Celtics is $58,000 annually on average. Some newly-hired waterboys are paid $100 per game. In comparison, the minimum average median salary of a middle-class income family is $51,000. Of course, the abilities and experience of an individual are the basis of such a salary, as are basketball players are paid differently based on their skill set. 

Still, it looks like the average annual salary of janitor in NBA is $60,000 to $90,000. Some teams pay their janitors on an hourly rate, but the more experienced ones are paid more.

How Do NBA Janitors Get Paid?

It would seem like the mode of payment of NBA janitors’ salaries is based on their experience. If you’re new and just trying to feel an NBA court for the first time, you may be paid at the end of games with an hourly rate or a fixed price. Experience NBA janitors and mop boys may be paid weekly or monthly and may reach over $50,000 on average.

NBA Janitors’ Job Description and Benefits

Most fans would accept an NBA floor-cleaning job for free if that meant getting close to their favorite basketball stars. However, this job should still be taken seriously. 

How so? The job of NBA janitors starts way before the games do. They need to clean the floor from all types of debris and sweat, so they must be around during warmups and team shootarounds. Other teams may give more tasks to janitors that are not disclosed. That means they should be ready and be on time, way before games even start.

When games start, the intensity also doubles. NBA players sweat a lot. On average, NBA players sweat at least 1 liter of fluid a game, and that sprawls back onto the floors. Imagine 10 guys dripping sweat running up and down the floor! 

Of course, these NBA players often fall down to the floor, either by design or physical contact. In these situations, NBA mop boys and janitors must be lightning quick in wiping their sweat off the floor to prevent injuries. During timeouts, quarter breaks, and halftime breaks, janitors must clean the court floors quickly and thoroughly.

During the rise of the Covid-19 pandemic, the job of NBA janitors becomes even more critical. According to researchers, sweat may help transmit Covid. This makes the work of NBA moppers and janitors doubly hard, always following protocols and maintaining hygiene.

Would that be enough to be paid $100 per game or $50,000 to $90,000 a year? Definitely! Even if their jobs are tedious and they must be alert at all times, nothing beats being part of a beautiful game like basketball and getting paid for it. 

What’s more, NBA janitors also receive a wide range of additional benefits, although it will be up to the teams to determine those. First, of course, they get to meet basketball’s greatest superstars. Imagine arriving early for work, and Kevin Durant or LeBron James is already out there warming up and shooting hoops. 

Second, NBA janitors have food allowance inside games. That means they don’t really have to spend a dime when they are working. Third, in rare circumstances, some really hardworking janitors may be granted scholarships by their mother organizations. And lastly, even when they are not working, janitors may still be granted access to watch games… for free!

Wrapping Things Up: How Much Do NBA Janitors Make on Average?

Running a multi-billion dollar business won’t even sniff success without the people doing their jobs. In the NBA, that means the owner, the general manager, and the players and staff should all do their parts. That includes athletic trainers, ball boys, waterboys, and yes, janitors.

If you are thinking of an NBA janitorial job as a career choice, that’s not so bad at all! To start, though, it would be best if you know someone from inside an NBA team. That way, they can directly send your application and put out a good word for you. On top of that, you must have sufficient experience and educational background to make your job application stand out.

NBA teams pay good money to their floor cleaners and janitors because, after all, their jobs are critical. They need to clean the floors thoroughly, not only for hygienic reasons but also for the players’ safety. Janitors need to be on time, clean the floors before games, and always be on the lookout if players slip and drop sweat to the floor. They need to be quick and meticulous.

But wait, really, how much do NBA janitors make on average? As you can see, their jobs are pretty hectic and very critical in terms of safety and hygiene. That is why NBA janitors make $55,000 to $90,000 annually. Therefore, if you have considerable janitorial experience and adequate educational background, becoming an NBA janitor is not bad at all!

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