01 / Understanding the measure
What does this data tell us?
The data describe jobs at private-sector establishments classified as remediation services, a category broader than household water restoration. Employment is an annual average of reported jobs, rather than a count of unique people. An establishment is an operating location; a company can have multiple establishments.
Remediation services includes activities beyond household water-damage restoration. Establishments are operating locations, not necessarily separate companies.
02 / Over time
How has employment changed?
Annual-average private-sector employment · 2021–2025
Average weekly wage · nominal dollars
View the exact annual values
| Year | Jobs | Weekly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 88,920 | $1,394 |
| 2022 | 92,928 | $1,468 |
| 2023 | 97,626 | $1,546 |
| 2024 | 98,932 | $1,596 |
| 2025 | 100,482 | $1,655 |
Industry context
What is included in remediation services?
The category of remediation services encompasses a broad range of cleanup activities that extend beyond just residential water restoration efforts, including various environmental and contamination cleanup tasks.
These statistics describe NAICS 562910, Remediation Services, using the private-sector selection in BLS QCEW. They should not be presented as a count of all water-damage restoration businesses. The distinction matters when comparing this report with surveys that use a different definition of the restoration industry.
Employment / 2021–2025
How many jobs are in the U.S. remediation industry?
BLS reported 100,482 annual-average private-sector jobs in remediation services in 2025. Employment increased by 11,562 (13.0%) from 2021, when the published count was 88,920.
Compared with 2024, employment increased by 1,550 (1.6%). These changes compare the published annual observations; they do not identify why employment changed or isolate the effects of particular disasters.
QCEW employment reflects jobs reported by covered establishments. An annual average combines monthly observations into a year-level measure, so it does not show every seasonal change. These figures are not a count of unique individuals and do not measure net job growth across the whole economy.
Pay / Nominal dollars
What is the average weekly wage in remediation services?
The industry’s published average weekly wage was $1,655 in 2025, compared with $1,394 in 2021. That is a nominal increase of 18.7% across this period.
Average weekly wage figures are calculated based on annual wages combined with annual-average employment data; these averages reflect the mix of different types of jobs and work patterns rather than median salary values, individual earnings guarantees, or adjustments for inflation.
For a pay comparison, use the same period and distinguish an industry average from the pay for a particular occupation. This series is not a median salary estimate for a restoration technician, and the change above does not measure inflation-adjusted purchasing power.
How BLS defines annual employment and average wages ↗Business locations / Not unique firms
How many remediation establishments are there?
QCEW reported an annual average of 9,227 private-sector remediation establishments in 2025. The count increased by 1,564 (20.4%) from 7,663 in 2021.
Employment data are attributed to specific business locations rather than entire companies; a single firm can operate multiple locations. The reported average jobs per establishment are derived from aggregate totals and should not be interpreted as the typical size of a firm.
Dividing the national employment count by the establishment count gives 10.9 jobs per establishment in 2025. This calculated ratio describes the two national totals. It does not tell us the median location size, and it should not be used as a staffing target for an individual business.
View establishment counts by year
| Year | Establishments |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,663 |
| 2022 | 8,120 |
| 2023 | 8,566 |
| 2024 | 8,979 |
| 2025 | 9,227 |
Geographic context
Which states have the most remediation jobs?
California has the largest published employment count in this fifty-state selection for 2025, with 12,205 jobs. The next largest published counts are Texas (8,231), New York (7,061), Washington (6,314), Florida (4,997).
Job counts at the state level indicate the concentration observed within the dataset; however, these raw figures do not consider factors such as population size, housing availability, or exposure to disasters, and the selection of states can vary when compared to the national aggregate.
Use the state table to sort employment and wages independently. A state with more jobs need not have a higher average wage. The table includes all states in the selection and clearly marks undisclosed values instead of ranking them as zero.
Compare the state data ↓Using this research
How can you use these industry statistics?
For consistent analysis, it is recommended to use data from comparable time periods and to reference primary sources and the methods applied in deriving estimates. This information serves well for background research but is not intended for predicting losses or providing guidance during emergencies.
For the administrative disaster record, see our FEMA major disaster declaration statistics. For the files behind this report, use the remediation dataset downloads. The two reports describe different measures; neither establishes a causal link between declarations and industry employment.
For a presentation or article, download a chart with its source and reference period, or embed a chart or table. For your own calculations, use the CSV and read the methodology first. The source link in the embed points back to the exact section so a reader can check definitions and limitations.
03 / Across the states
A closer look at the states
Annual-average employment and weekly wages · 2025
| Relative count | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| CACalifornia | 12,205 | $1,746 | |
| TXTexas | 8,231 | $1,611 | |
| NYNew York | 7,061 | $1,701 | |
| WAWashington | 6,314 | $2,119 | |
| FLFlorida | 4,997 | $1,950 | |
| OHOhio | 4,220 | $1,702 | |
| PAPennsylvania | 3,770 | $1,738 | |
| TNTennessee | 3,722 | $1,945 | |
| LALouisiana | 3,309 | $1,419 | |
| MAMassachusetts | 3,032 | $1,757 | |
| NJNew Jersey | 2,929 | $1,732 | |
| MDMaryland | 2,505 | $1,374 | |
| COColorado | 2,430 | $1,582 | |
| VAVirginia | 2,174 | $1,374 | |
| MIMichigan | 2,110 | $1,500 | |
| ILIllinois | 2,082 | $1,688 | |
| NCNorth Carolina | 1,946 | $1,621 | |
| MOMissouri | 1,873 | $1,447 | |
| INIndiana | 1,834 | $1,375 | |
| GAGeorgia | 1,775 | $1,411 | |
| CTConnecticut | 1,756 | $1,612 | |
| NMNew Mexico | 1,525 | $1,704 | |
| OROregon | 1,474 | $1,392 | |
| WIWisconsin | 1,249 | $1,344 | |
| MNMinnesota | 1,226 | $1,565 | |
| ALAlabama | 1,172 | $1,394 | |
| AZArizona | 1,122 | $1,451 | |
| SCSouth Carolina | 1,023 | $1,333 | |
| KYKentucky | 970 | $1,461 | |
| OKOklahoma | 938 | $1,374 | |
| NVNevada | 909 | $1,252 | |
| ARArkansas | 797 | $1,318 | |
| MSMississippi | 778 | $1,416 | |
| AKAlaska | 751 | $2,209 | |
| UTUtah | 742 | $1,461 | |
| IDIdaho | 692 | $1,560 | |
| KSKansas | 590 | $1,432 | |
| HIHawaii | 540 | $1,763 | |
| WVWest Virginia | 458 | $1,374 | |
| IAIowa | 433 | $1,251 | |
| NHNew Hampshire | 409 | $1,661 | |
| MTMontana | 393 | $1,708 | |
| MEMaine | 390 | $1,399 | |
| DEDelaware | 331 | $1,408 | |
| NENebraska | 300 | $1,284 | |
| RIRhode Island | 266 | $1,468 | |
| NDNorth Dakota | 224 | $1,753 | |
| SDSouth Dakota | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | |
| VTVermont | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | |
| WYWyoming | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
No matching states. Try a full state name.
Counts are specific to the scope above. Missing or suppressed values are never treated as zero.
Know the limits
Does this measure the size of the restoration market?
This dataset measures private-sector remediation industry employment, number of establishments, and average weekly wages. It does not measure the size of the entire restoration market, nor does it include all restoration businesses. Market size requires separately sourced revenue data with compatible industry definitions and geography for accuracy. Use these figures to compare jobs, wages and operating locations within the defined industry.
04 / Methodology & sources
Where these numbers come from.
- Reference period
- 2025
- Selection
- NAICS 562910 · Remediation services
- Geographic coverage
- U.S. private sector
- Source snapshots
- September 13, 2026
How we prepared the data
Private ownership only; industry code 562910; all establishment sizes. National values use the published U.S. aggregate. The state table includes the fifty states and preserves nondisclosure as missing. National coverage follows BLS and need not equal the sum of this state selection. Wages are nominal and are not adjusted for inflation.
What this cannot tell us
Industry averages do not describe an individual worker’s earnings. Establishment counts are not counts of distinct companies, and QCEW coverage is not a complete census of all remediation work. The measures do not establish restoration-market revenue or demand for household repairs.
OpenAI assisted with explanatory prose. Statistics and charts are rendered from source data using code. This local sample has not passed a production editorial review.
Full methodology & preview limitations ↗