laundry · 3000W typical

Running a electric clothes dryer costs about $14.85/month.

That's the typical electric clothes dryer at 3000W, run 1 hours a day at the US-average rate of 16.5¢/kWh. Change any of those and the number moves — use the calculator below to see yours.

Estimated cost

$14.85/month

$0.50 per day$180.68 per year90.0 kWh monthly

Wattage

Hours / day

Your rate

Full-power draw for 1 hours at 16.5¢/kWh.

How you use it

Cost shifts with how long it's on.

The same electric clothes dryer can cost very different amounts depending on usage patterns. Three common scenarios, at the US-average rate.

family load

$14.85

per month

one 45-60 min cycle per day

1 hrs/day·$180.68/yr

couple's weekly

$5.94

per month

3 cycles per week

0.4 hrs/day·$72.27/yr

heavy laundry

$29.70

per month

multiple loads

2 hrs/day·$361.35/yr

Where you live

$26.91 spread between the cheapest and priciest states.

Same appliance, same hours of use, different zip code — the monthly cost varies this much.

State	Rate	Monthly	Yearly
Hawaii	41.2¢	$37.08	$451.14
California	31.4¢	$28.26	$343.83
Massachusetts	30.8¢	$27.72	$337.26
Connecticut	28.7¢	$25.83	$314.27
Rhode Island	27.9¢	$25.11	$305.51
New Hampshire	24.6¢	$22.14	$269.37
Alaska	24.3¢	$21.87	$266.09
New York	22.3¢	$20.07	$244.19
Maine	22.1¢	$19.89	$242.00
Vermont	21.5¢	$19.35	$235.43
Michigan	19.3¢	$17.37	$211.33
New Jersey	19.1¢	$17.19	$209.14
Maryland	18.4¢	$16.56	$201.48
Pennsylvania	18.1¢	$16.29	$198.20
District of Columbia	17.8¢	$16.02	$194.91
Wisconsin	17.4¢	$15.66	$190.53
Delaware	17.2¢	$15.48	$188.34
Illinois	16.9¢	$15.21	$185.05
Ohio	16.6¢	$14.94	$181.77
Nevada	16.3¢	$14.67	$178.48
Indiana	15.8¢	$14.22	$173.01
Virginia	15.7¢	$14.13	$171.92
Minnesota	15.6¢	$14.04	$170.82
Colorado	15.4¢	$13.86	$168.63
Alabama	15.2¢	$13.68	$166.44
West Virginia	15.2¢	$13.68	$166.44
Florida	15.1¢	$13.59	$165.35
New Mexico	14.8¢	$13.32	$162.06
Texas	14.8¢	$13.32	$162.06
Arizona	14.7¢	$13.23	$160.96
South Carolina	14.7¢	$13.23	$160.96
Kansas	14.6¢	$13.14	$159.87
Georgia	14.2¢	$12.78	$155.49
Iowa	14.1¢	$12.69	$154.39
North Carolina	13.9¢	$12.51	$152.21
Missouri	13.6¢	$12.24	$148.92
Oregon	13.4¢	$12.06	$146.73
Tennessee	13.3¢	$11.97	$145.64
Kentucky	13.2¢	$11.88	$144.54
Mississippi	13.1¢	$11.79	$143.45
Oklahoma	13.1¢	$11.79	$143.45
South Dakota	12.7¢	$11.43	$139.07
Montana	12.4¢	$11.16	$135.78
Nebraska	12.2¢	$10.98	$133.59
Arkansas	12.1¢	$10.89	$132.50
Washington	12.1¢	$10.89	$132.50
Louisiana	11.9¢	$10.71	$130.31
Wyoming	11.6¢	$10.44	$127.02
North Dakota	11.5¢	$10.35	$125.93
Utah	11.4¢	$10.26	$124.83
Idaho	11.3¢	$10.17	$123.74

Efficient vs. inefficient

A $216.81/year difference across the wattage range.

Swapping a high-draw model for an efficient one pays for itself. Here's what that looks like annually at typical usage.

Most efficient

1800W

$8.91 per month

$108.41 per year

Typical

3000W

$14.85 per month

$180.68 per year

High draw

5400W

$26.73 per month

$325.22 per year

When it hits hardest

winter peak

Heavier winter use since line drying isn't an option.

Ways to cut the cost

1
Clean the lint trap after every load and deep-clean vent annually
Restores 25-50% of lost efficiency on clogged systems
2
Air-dry or line-dry whenever possible
Dryers are the 3rd-largest home appliance energy user
3
Use moisture-sensor mode, not timed dry
Saves 15-25% by not over-drying

Real-world wattages

Pulled from actual spec sheets.

Brand	Model	Watts
Whirlpool	WED5000DW	3000W
LG	DLE7300WE	5300W
Samsung	DVE45T6000W	4400W

Picks that actually move the needle

Three products worth comparing if you're thinking about upgrading or supplementing what you have.

Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy, we may earn a small commission — it never changes the price you pay, and we only recommend picks we would stand behind.

Wool Dryer Balls Pack of 6

Reduces dry time 15-25% by improving airflow

$10-15

Dryer Vent Cleaning Kit

Clogged vents add 25-50% to dry time

$20-30

Kill A Watt P3 P4460 Meter

Verify heating element integrity

$28-35