NBA floor cleaner's salary: How much does an NBA floor cleaner make?

NBA floor cleaner's salary: How much does an NBA floor cleaner make?

Ciku Njuguna
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:06 PM

Many people often focus on basketball players during game days, with little attention given to those in charge of cleaning the court. But, NBA mop boys do a demanding job that earns them a decent amount of money. You will be shocked to learn the average NBA floor cleaner's salary. So, dig in and learn more about their hourly, monthly and annual wages.

NBA floor cleaner's salary
A court cleaner is seen before the round nine NBL match between Cairns Taipans and Illawarra Hawks at the Cairns Convention Centre on 29 January 2022. Photo: Ian Hitchcock
Source: Getty Images

Besides carrying out their cleaning duties, NBA floor sweepers or cleaners also have the opportunity to meet top basketball players and witness the game from close range. So join us and learn more about a basketball floor cleaner's salary and what it takes to get the job.

NBA floor cleaners

A basketball game is a particularly intense game, and players sweat quite a lot. Unfortunately, the sweat drops and stick on the NBA court floors, causing accidents. In addition, being a highly intense contact game, wet and slippery floors increase the risks of collisions, falls and other accidents.

In an interview with the NewYork Times, Duncan Robinson, a Miami Heat forward, expressed the importance of the NBA floor cleaner job, saying,

"That's a series-altering incident if someone slips and tweaks something. In many ways, they are the unsung heroes of this whole thing."

How do you become an NBA floor sweeper?

NBA floor sweepers are part of a team's facilities and janitorial staff. To become a cleaner, one must apply through the respective team websites. Each team has a different hiring process and requirements.

Teams also usually post job openings on their official portal, including opportunities in the janitorial department. Above all, having the right background and qualifications is key.

What do NBA floor sweepers do?

NBA court floor cleaner's salary
Two ball boys sweep the court during an NCAA game between the Wyoming Cowboys and BYU Cougars on 12 January 1962 at the George Albert Smith Field House in Provo, Utah. Photo: Hy Peskin
Source: Getty Images

During an NBA game, attendants positioned around the court and benches are responsible for ensuring all players are attended to. Their duties include loading players' gears, water, tissue boxes, towels, and heating pads.

Cleaners and sweepers patrolling the basketball baseline usually look for sweat drops and streaks. These attendants use specialized basketball court sweat mops and towels to keep the court dry.

According to Iowa Wolves' basketball operations associate and floor cleaner Mario Casamajor, court cleaners are crucial players during a basketball game.

"The whole world is waiting for me to clean up this wet spot. The hard part about it is that it's a streak and not a puddle, so you have to make sure you fully track it all the way, especially if a guy slid."

NBA floor cleaner's salary in 2023

How much do NBA floor cleaners get paid? Now that you know what an NBA floor sweeper does and how to apply, you may wonder how much the job pays.

Each team has a different salary scale for its employees. However, the NBA floor sweeper's annual salary is $80,000 per annum. The figure could also rise to $100,000 depending on education and experience.

NBA floor sweeper's salary per month

The cleaners take home between $6,700 to $8,300 per month. So hourly, their pay ranges from $9.2 to $11.4. The job is physically demanding, requiring a lot of energy, hence the decent income they earn.

What determines a floor cleaner's NBA salary?

NBA floor sweeper's annual salary
A general view of the court before the game between the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors at TD Garden on 8 June 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo: Elsa
Source: Getty Images

An NBA court floor cleaner's salary depends on someone's experience and education. A rookie sweeper will defiantly earn less than one with two or more years of experience. The same applies to cleaners with different education levels.

Experience

Salary (annually)

Less than 2 years

$39,000

More than 2 years

$80,000

More than 5 years

95,000

Do they receive bonuses?

Like NBA players, cleaners also get bonuses and incentives when their teams qualify for the play-offs. The incentives increases as the team progress to the next rounds. In addition, some basketball players also occasionally give tips to the cleaners as a way of appreciating their sacrifice.

Salaries of other NBA employees

Having known what NBA sweepers take home, let us now compare it with other staff involved in the sport. The highest-paid are undoubtedly the players. The best-paid basketballer earns around $7.4 million annually.

Meanwhile, an NBA waterboy's salary ranges from $53,000-$58,000 annually, while a towel boy's salary ranges between $55,000-$60,000. Ball boys also have a tough time running around the court and earn $52,000 annually.

An NBA floor cleaner's salary and benefits are attractive and rewarding to anyone interested. But, there would be even more injuries without them on the sidelines to ensure the court stays dry before, during, and after a game.

READ ALSO: Top 10 players with the biggest hand size in the NBA

Sportsbrief.com also published an article recently about NBA players with the largest hands. Basketballers with big hand sizes naturally have a playing and dunking advantage over other players.

So, click on the link above to discover which of your favourite NBA basketball players has the largest hand sizes. And why is this even relevant in the sport?!

Authors
Ciku Njuguna photo
Ciku Njuguna
Ciku Njuguna is a journalist with 3 year’s experience in content creation based in Kenya. She currently covers sports personnel as well as team biographies.