How much do Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors make?
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors earn a median annual salary of $49,690 in the United States, which works out to roughly $23.89 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $33,590 at the entry level and $75,900 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $39,080 and $62,020 a year.
That is $11,700 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary range by percentile
Half of all Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors earn between $39,080 and $62,020 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $33,590 | $16.15 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $39,080 | $18.79 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $49,690 | $23.89 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $62,020 | $29.82 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $75,900 | $36.49 |
Highest-paying states for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Illinois leads the country for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors pay at $75,050 a year, followed by Washington ($74,620) and New York ($64,950). At the other end, South Dakota posts the lowest median at $32,950 — a gap of $42,100 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $75,050 | $36.08 | +51% |
| 2 | Washington | $74,620 | $35.88 | +50% |
| 3 | New York | $64,950 | $31.23 | +31% |
| 4 | California | $64,890 | $31.20 | +31% |
| 5 | Oregon | $63,210 | $30.39 | +27% |
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 51 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 147,000 people work as Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $52,820 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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