SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Collect and dump refuse or recyclable materials from containers into truck. May drive truck.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 53-7081.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $33,590 | $2,799 | $646 | $16.15 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $39,080 | $3,257 | $752 | $18.79 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $49,690 | $4,141 | $956 | $23.89 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $62,020 | $5,168 | $1,193 | $29.82 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $75,900 | $6,325 | $1,460 | $36.49 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors is $49,690, which is 3% lower. Among the 50 occupations of the field Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks number 28 by median pay. With 147,240 jobs, it makes up about 9.5 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors pay by state
The highest median pay was in Illinois ($75,050), Washington ($74,620) and New York ($64,950). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($21,840), Guam ($32,520) and South Dakota ($32,950). The most jobs were in California (13,930), Texas (12,860) and Florida (11,650). The occupation is most concentrated in Puerto Rico, where its share of all jobs is 2.0 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 4,910 | $75,050 | $68,310 | $36.08 |
| Washington | 3,750 | $74,620 | $71,690 | $35.88 |
| New York | 11,630 | $64,950 | $67,130 | $31.23 |
| California | 13,930 | $64,890 | $66,300 | $31.20 |
| Oregon | 2,500 | $63,210 | $62,930 | $30.39 |
| Minnesota | 2,500 | $62,570 | $59,790 | $30.08 |
| Nevada | 770 | $61,310 | $64,120 | $29.47 |
| Delaware | 600 | $61,290 | $58,000 | $29.47 |
| Colorado | 3,700 | $60,310 | $57,860 | $29.00 |
| Wisconsin | 1,550 | $59,810 | $55,090 | $28.76 |
| Utah | 960 | $59,310 | $56,420 | $28.52 |
| North Dakota | 360 | $59,000 | $56,220 | $28.37 |
| Indiana | 3,180 | $58,900 | $54,930 | $28.32 |
| Hawaii | 770 | $56,270 | $53,780 | $27.05 |
| Rhode Island | 470 | $55,970 | $53,190 | $26.91 |
| District of Columbia | 540 | $55,490 | $55,960 | $26.68 |
| New Jersey | 4,330 | $54,630 | $54,260 | $26.27 |
| Vermont | 160 | $51,960 | $54,110 | $24.98 |
| Michigan | 4,020 | $51,030 | $52,280 | $24.53 |
| Massachusetts | 1,010 | $50,310 | $54,230 | $24.19 |
| Missouri | 1,930 | $50,010 | $50,300 | $24.04 |
| Idaho | 730 | $49,880 | $51,350 | $23.98 |
| Iowa | 1,780 | $49,850 | $51,120 | $23.97 |
| Montana | 370 | $49,420 | $50,200 | $23.76 |
| Nebraska | 910 | $49,390 | $48,610 | $23.75 |
| Ohio | 4,710 | $49,330 | $49,990 | $23.72 |
| Wyoming | 280 | $48,820 | $47,170 | $23.47 |
| Pennsylvania | 6,220 | $48,240 | $49,400 | $23.19 |
| Florida | 11,650 | $47,820 | $48,960 | $22.99 |
| New Mexico | 1,070 | $47,660 | $46,940 | $22.92 |
| Georgia | 4,830 | $46,960 | $46,150 | $22.58 |
| Arizona | 2,380 | $46,910 | $48,500 | $22.55 |
| New Hampshire | 340 | $46,580 | $47,400 | $22.40 |
| Virginia | 4,330 | $46,530 | $46,100 | $22.37 |
| Texas | 12,860 | $46,330 | $44,700 | $22.27 |
| Alabama | 2,790 | $46,240 | $45,450 | $22.23 |
| Alaska | 250 | $45,740 | $51,900 | $21.99 |
| Kansas | 910 | $45,510 | $42,960 | $21.88 |
| North Carolina | 7,250 | $44,670 | $42,590 | $21.48 |
| Maine | 770 | $43,360 | $44,840 | $20.85 |
| Tennessee | 2,550 | $43,270 | $44,320 | $20.80 |
| Kentucky | 1,580 | $43,100 | $42,710 | $20.72 |
| Oklahoma | 2,030 | $43,060 | $43,520 | $20.70 |
| Maryland | 3,120 | $41,870 | $46,740 | $20.13 |
| Mississippi | 1,970 | $39,170 | $42,300 | $18.83 |
| Louisiana | 2,200 | $38,810 | $41,900 | $18.66 |
| Connecticut | 810 | $38,220 | $45,120 | $18.37 |
| West Virginia | 1,000 | $35,840 | $36,820 | $17.23 |
| Arkansas | 1,600 | $35,640 | $37,250 | $17.13 |
| South Carolina | 2,020 | $34,880 | $35,690 | $16.77 |
| South Dakota | 340 | $32,950 | $34,810 | $15.84 |
| Guam | 40 | $32,520 | $33,780 | $15.64 |
| Puerto Rico | 1,800 | $21,840 | $22,880 | $10.50 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
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Common questions
How much do Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors earn in the United States?
The median pay was $49,690 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $33,590 and the highest-paid 10% more than $75,900.
How many people work as Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors?
About 147,240 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.