Average Salary for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
SOC 53-7081 · Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in the United States is $48,350 ($23.24/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $31,810 at the 10th percentile to $75,200 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 139,180 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 43.6% since 2014.
Median Annual
$48,350
Mean Annual
$51,210
10th Pct
$31,810
75th Pct
$61,010
Employment
139,180
Salary Distribution
$32k
10th
$38k
25th
$48k
Median
$61k
75th
$75k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $77,300 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $76,760 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $74,240 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $72,380 |
| Napa, CA | $70,690 |
| Merced, CA | $66,690 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $65,580 |
| Reno, NV | $65,440 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $64,880 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $64,530 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $64,050 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $63,670 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $63,560 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $63,410 |
| Yakima, WA | $63,300 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Washington | $71,440 |
| Nevada | $65,440 |
| New York | $64,550 |
| Illinois | $61,880 |
| California | $61,650 |
| Minnesota | $61,630 |
| Oregon | $61,040 |
| Colorado | $60,610 |
| Wisconsin | $60,390 |
| Massachusetts | $59,540 |
| Michigan | $59,290 |
| Indiana | $59,260 |
| Hawaii | $55,330 |
| District of Columbia | $53,870 |
| Rhode Island | $51,450 |
| Montana | $51,230 |
| Utah | $50,720 |
| New Jersey | $50,700 |
| North Dakota | $50,440 |
| Vermont | $49,200 |
| Iowa | $48,830 |
| Ohio | $48,730 |
| Idaho | $48,200 |
| Wyoming | $47,970 |
| Nebraska | $47,490 |
| Delaware | $46,950 |
| Florida | $46,890 |
| New Mexico | $46,810 |
| Missouri | $46,760 |
| Virginia | $46,080 |
| Connecticut | $45,760 |
| Texas | $45,710 |
| Maine | $43,220 |
| Georgia | $43,000 |
| New Hampshire | $42,690 |
| Pennsylvania | $42,690 |
| Kansas | $42,540 |
| North Carolina | $40,500 |
| Maryland | $40,080 |
| Alabama | $39,850 |
| Arizona | $39,650 |
| Tennessee | $38,570 |
| South Carolina | $37,380 |
| Kentucky | $36,930 |
| Louisiana | $36,890 |
| Oklahoma | $36,850 |
| Alaska | $36,830 |
| Arkansas | $36,640 |
| West Virginia | $36,630 |
| Mississippi | $36,070 |
| South Dakota | $33,030 |
| Puerto Rico | $19,760 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $79,570 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $79,570 |
| Postal Service (Federal Government) | $60,780 |
| Postal Service (Federal Government) | $60,780 |
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $60,780 |
| Waste Treatment and Disposal | $57,430 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $57,400 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $57,400 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $57,400 |
| Truck Transportation | $54,650 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $54,640 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $53,870 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | $53,200 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $52,950 |
| Wholesale Trade | $52,610 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) | $51,410 |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | $49,960 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $49,390 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $49,390 |
| Waste Collection | $49,030 |
| Construction | $48,380 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $47,550 |
| Other Support Services | $46,800 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | $46,800 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $45,750 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $45,750 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $45,750 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $45,750 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $45,750 |
| Manufacturing | $45,130 |
| Repair and Maintenance | $45,060 |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $44,370 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $44,370 |
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings | $40,330 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $39,480 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $39,480 |
| Construction of Buildings | $39,440 |
| Educational Services | $39,070 |
| Retail Trade | $38,800 |
| Food Manufacturing | $38,580 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $38,200 |
| Educational Services | $38,200 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) | $37,850 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $37,850 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing | $37,050 |
| Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | $36,780 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $35,620 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $35,260 |
| Temporary Help Services | $34,970 |
| Employment Services | $34,970 |
| Social Assistance | $34,690 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services | $34,690 |
| Facilities Support Services | $32,100 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $32,070 |
| Hospitals | $32,070 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $48,350 |
| 2023 | $45,760 |
| 2022 | $43,540 |
| 2021 | $38,500 |
| 2020 | $39,100 |
| 2019 | $37,840 |
| 2018 | $37,260 |
| 2017 | $36,160 |
| 2016 | $35,270 |
| 2015 | $33,800 |
| 2014 | $33,660 |