Augusta is dominated by Fort Gordon (now Fort Eisenhower) — the Army Cyber Command headquarters — and by a major healthcare corridor anchored by Augusta University Medical Center and the medical college. These two sectors generate substantial federal and institutional cleaning demand, making SCA compliance and healthcare-grade cleaning protocols business necessities rather than edge cases. Janitorial wages run in the Sunbelt band, trailing the national mean of $17.43/hr (BLS OEWS 2024) by roughly $3, but defense-facility SCA rates can push specific contracts considerably higher.

BLS Wage Data: What Janitors Earn in Augusta

Augusta-Richmond County MSA OEWS data reflects the Georgia-South Carolina border labor market. Rates fall in the Sunbelt band of $13–$16/hr.

The median of $14.10/hr sits $3.33 below the national mean. BEA RPP for Augusta runs approximately 86–90, implying real wages near national parity despite lower nominal rates.

Defense and Healthcare as Wage Anchors

Fort Eisenhower's civilian and contractor workforce sets a wage expectation in Richmond County that filters into every labor market. BLS LAUS data shows Augusta-area unemployment in the 3.5–5.0% range. Healthcare cleaning at AU Medical Center, Doctors Hospital, and the VA carries wage expectations of $13.50–$16.00/hr depending on the facility tier and certification requirements — meaningfully above standard commercial rates. Contractors pricing below the healthcare floor for these accounts will face chronic recruitment difficulties.

Loaded Labor Cost: What Employers Actually Pay

Georgia and South Carolina employers pay FICA (7.65%), FUTA/SUTA (~2.2% blended), workers' comp, and basic benefits. Total burden runs 27–32% above base wage. At the $14.10/hr median, all-in employer cost is approximately $17.90–$18.60/hr. Use a 1.27–1.32 multiplier in bid models for this market.

Minimum Wage: Georgia and South Carolina

Georgia's state minimum wage is $5.15/hr, but federal law supersedes at $7.25/hr — effectively making $7.25/hr the floor (Georgia DOL). South Carolina has no state minimum wage above federal. The effective market entry wage for cleaning workers in Augusta runs $11.50–$13.00/hr, driven entirely by supply-and-demand rather than any statutory requirement above the federal minimum.

Union Landscape and Collective Bargaining

Both Georgia and South Carolina are right-to-work states. SEIU has minimal presence in Augusta's private commercial cleaning sector. Federal facility cleaning at Fort Eisenhower is subject to SCA wage determinations, which function as the practical wage floor for that segment. Private commercial cleaning is entirely market-wage driven.

Workers' Compensation Rates for NAICS 561720

Georgia workers' compensation is administered through the Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation. Janitorial services (NAICS 561720) carry base rates typically in the range of $3.00–$4.80 per $100 of payroll. Budget $0.42–$0.68/hr per worker. South Carolina facilities fall under SC Workers' Compensation Commission rates, broadly comparable.

Prevailing Wage and Service Contract Act Implications

Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon) cleaning contracts are among the highest-volume federal facility cleaning opportunities in the Southeast and carry full SCA compliance requirements. SAM.gov wage determinations for Richmond County building services typically set rates at $13.50–$16.00/hr. Contractors pursuing Army Cyber Command facility cleaning must maintain certified payroll records, SCA posters, and benefit fringe documentation.

Total Compensation: Benefits, Turnover, and Hiring Cost

Benefits add $1.50–$2.80/hr for full-time employees per BLS ECEC. Annual turnover of 40–75% (ISSA) generates recurring hiring costs of $700–$1,000 per departure. Defense-facility and healthcare accounts both require background checks, extending time-to-fill and adding cost that should be factored into per-account labor budgets.

Federal Contract Bidding Without Undercutting Your Own Margin

The Augusta market's distinctive feature is the Fort Eisenhower cleaning opportunity — large contract volume, federally set wage rates, and long-term visibility. Contractors who invest in SCA compliance infrastructure gain access to this market; those who underbid to win and then struggle with compliance costs end up debarred. Price the compliance overhead into your proposal alongside the SCA wage rate, and use the bid generator with federal contract inputs to model the full cost structure.

Primary Sources

• BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — Metro Area Tables
• BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
• BEA Regional Price Parities by Metro
• SAM.gov — Service Contract Act Wage Determinations
• DOL Wage and Hour Division — Service Contract Act
• Georgia DOL — Minimum Wage
• Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation
• ISSA — Cleaning Industry Benchmarks

Augusta contractors: Augusta bid template, bid generator, bid benchmarks, and cleaning for healthcare.

By the Opora Editorial Team · Last updated: 2026