Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors (SOC 53-7081) earn a median $49,690 a year ($23.89 an hour) in the United States, with 147,240 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Illinois.
What refuse and recyclable material collectors do
Refuse and recyclable material collectors collect refuse and recyclable materials from containers and dump them into a truck, and some also drive it. Routes run through residential streets or alleys and through business or industrial areas. Collectors dismount to empty containers and remount to ride to the next collection point, and they may operate automated or semi-automated hoisting devices that raise bins and dump the contents into the truck body. Before beginning a route, workers check the truck's condition, then refuel or top up fluids when needed. They dump loads at disposal sites, file reports on defective equipment, and drive established routes. They also run the equipment that compresses collected refuse. Drivers of these collection trucks fall in this code, while the SOC excludes refuse collectors from the heavy truck driver code.
Typical entry: O*NET reports that most workers in this occupation have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Also called: Collector, Disposal Man, Disposal Worker, Dumpman, Front Load Trash Truck Driver.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.15 | $18.79 | $23.89 | $29.82 | $36.49 | $25.39 | 147,240 |
| Annual | $33,590 | $39,080 | $49,690 | $62,020 | $75,900 | $52,820 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where refuse and recyclable material collectors earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $18.65 | $28.25 | $36.08 | $40.53 | $42.61 | $32.84 | 4,910 | 0.81 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $38,790 | $58,750 | $75,050 | $84,300 | $88,640 | $68,310 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $25.99 | $29.66 | $35.88 | $38.82 | $42.79 | $34.46 | 3,750 | 1.06 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $54,070 | $61,700 | $74,620 | $80,750 | $88,990 | $71,690 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $20.55 | $22.61 | $31.23 | $41.49 | $41.69 | $32.27 | 11,630 | 1.20 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $42,740 | $47,020 | $64,950 | $86,310 | $86,720 | $67,130 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $22.10 | $26.64 | $31.20 | $36.09 | $43.45 | $31.87 | 13,930 | 0.77 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $45,970 | $55,420 | $64,890 | $75,070 | $90,370 | $66,300 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $25.61 | $28.83 | $30.39 | $31.82 | $34.83 | $30.25 | 2,500 | 1.27 | 1.34 |
| Annual | $53,270 | $59,960 | $63,210 | $66,180 | $72,440 | $62,930 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $22.10 | $26.64 | $31.20 | $36.09 | $43.45 | $31.87 | 13,930 | 0.77 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $45,970 | $55,420 | $64,890 | $75,070 | $90,370 | $66,300 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $14.82 | $17.25 | $22.27 | $24.06 | $28.55 | $21.49 | 12,860 | 0.91 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $30,830 | $35,880 | $46,330 | $50,040 | $59,380 | $44,700 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.00 | $18.94 | $22.99 | $27.93 | $29.54 | $23.54 | 11,650 | 1.17 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $35,350 | $39,400 | $47,820 | $58,090 | $61,450 | $48,960 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $20.55 | $22.61 | $31.23 | $41.49 | $41.69 | $32.27 | 11,630 | 1.20 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $42,740 | $47,020 | $64,950 | $86,310 | $86,720 | $67,130 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $12.09 | $16.66 | $21.48 | $23.57 | $28.16 | $20.47 | 7,250 | 1.47 | 1.55 |
| Annual | $25,140 | $34,650 | $44,670 | $49,030 | $58,570 | $42,590 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $26.96 | $34.80 | $42.04 | $52.67 | $53.34 | $42.32 | 870 | 0.77 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $56,080 | $72,390 | $87,430 | $109,560 | $110,950 | $88,030 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $23.75 | $29.82 | $37.29 | $40.73 | $48.38 | $36.54 | 2,040 | 0.86 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $49,400 | $62,030 | $77,570 | $84,720 | $100,630 | $76,010 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $19.13 | $29.94 | $37.24 | $41.57 | $42.83 | $34.41 | 3,330 | 0.74 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $39,780 | $62,280 | $77,470 | $86,460 | $89,090 | $71,570 | ||||
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | Hourly | $29.62 | $29.62 | $36.70 | $36.70 | $37.31 | $33.22 | 130 | 0.97 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $61,610 | $61,610 | $76,340 | $76,340 | $77,610 | $69,090 | ||||
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | Hourly | $23.97 | $27.85 | $36.27 | $36.27 | $36.27 | $32.07 | 750 | 4.16 | 4.40 |
| Annual | $49,850 | $57,930 | $75,440 | $75,440 | $75,440 | $66,700 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $19.78 | $22.59 | $31.40 | $41.49 | $41.69 | $31.75 | 13,310 | 1.40 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $41,130 | $46,990 | $65,310 | $86,310 | $86,720 | $66,040 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $15.26 | $17.54 | $23.06 | $24.01 | $28.72 | $21.84 | 4,300 | 1.06 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $31,740 | $36,490 | $47,960 | $49,940 | $59,740 | $45,430 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.70 | $23.63 | $30.04 | $34.78 | $36.37 | $29.67 | 4,210 | 0.67 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $36,810 | $49,140 | $62,490 | $72,340 | $75,650 | $61,710 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $17.00 | $18.94 | $23.93 | $29.05 | $31.61 | $24.34 | 3,370 | 1.20 | 1.26 |
| Annual | $35,350 | $39,400 | $49,770 | $60,420 | $65,740 | $50,620 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $19.13 | $29.94 | $37.24 | $41.57 | $42.83 | $34.41 | 3,330 | 0.74 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $39,780 | $62,280 | $77,470 | $86,460 | $89,090 | $71,570 | ||||
Top industries employing refuse and recyclable material collectors
Waste Collection employ 51.9% of refuse and recyclable material collectors nationally (76,410 jobs) at a median $50,600 a year ($24.33 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (29.7%) and Waste Treatment and Disposal (10.4%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waste Collection NAICS 562100 | 76,410 | 51.9% | $50,600 | $24.33 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 43,690 | 29.7% | $47,020 | $22.61 |
| Waste Treatment and Disposal NAICS 562200 | 15,380 | 10.4% | $60,040 | $28.87 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 3,500 | 2.4% | $35,350 | $17.00 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services NAICS 562900 | 2,390 | 1.6% | $48,290 | $23.22 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (147,240). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $38,500 for refuse and recyclable material collectors in May 2021 and $49,690 in May 2025, with employment of 126,050 and 147,240.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $38,500 | $18.51 | 126,050 |
| May 2022 | $43,540 | $20.94 | 132,240 |
| May 2023 | $45,760 | $22.00 | 135,430 |
| May 2024 | $48,350 | $23.24 | 139,180 |
| May 2025 | $49,690 | $23.89 | 147,240 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois profile | $36.08 | $75,050 | $38,790 | $88,640 | 4,910 | 0.81 | 0.85 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $35.88 | $74,620 | $54,070 | $88,990 | 3,750 | 1.06 | 1.12 |
| 3 | New York profile | $31.23 | $64,950 | $42,740 | $86,720 | 11,630 | 1.20 | 1.27 |
| 4 | California profile | $31.20 | $64,890 | $45,970 | $90,370 | 13,930 | 0.77 | 0.81 |
| 5 | Oregon profile | $30.39 | $63,210 | $53,270 | $72,440 | 2,500 | 1.27 | 1.34 |
| 6 | Minnesota profile | $30.08 | $62,570 | $47,260 | $71,450 | 2,500 | 0.85 | 0.89 |
| 7 | Nevada profile | $29.47 | $61,310 | $48,030 | $81,950 | 770 | 0.49 | 0.52 |
| 8 | Delaware profile | $29.47 | $61,290 | $38,700 | $74,590 | 600 | 1.24 | 1.31 |
| 9 | Colorado profile | $29.00 | $60,310 | $39,580 | $75,330 | 3,700 | 1.29 | 1.36 |
| 10 | Wisconsin profile | $28.76 | $59,810 | $33,360 | $64,200 | 1,550 | 0.53 | 0.55 |
| 11 | Utah profile | $28.52 | $59,310 | $42,990 | $72,930 | 960 | 0.55 | 0.58 |
| 12 | North Dakota profile | $28.37 | $59,000 | $41,690 | $71,330 | 360 | 0.85 | 0.90 |
| 13 | Indiana profile | $28.32 | $58,900 | $36,000 | $64,680 | 3,180 | 0.99 | 1.05 |
| 14 | Hawaii profile | $27.05 | $56,270 | $30,760 | $65,740 | 770 | 1.23 | 1.30 |
| 15 | Rhode Island profile | $26.91 | $55,970 | $34,810 | $61,370 | 470 | 0.95 | 1.00 |
| 16 | District of Columbia profile | $26.68 | $55,490 | $39,810 | $76,020 | 540 | 0.78 | 0.82 |
| 17 | New Jersey profile | $26.27 | $54,630 | $37,590 | $71,230 | 4,330 | 1.01 | 1.07 |
| 18 | Vermont profile | $24.98 | $51,960 | $41,240 | $63,070 | 160 | 0.54 | 0.57 |
| 19 | Michigan profile | $24.53 | $51,030 | $34,150 | $76,360 | 4,020 | 0.91 | 0.96 |
| 20 | Massachusetts profile | $24.19 | $50,310 | $39,180 | $73,090 | 1,010 | 0.28 | 0.29 |
| 21 | Missouri profile | $24.04 | $50,010 | $31,760 | $71,270 | 1,930 | 0.66 | 0.69 |
| 22 | Idaho profile | $23.98 | $49,880 | $38,210 | $58,030 | 730 | 0.85 | 0.89 |
| 23 | Iowa profile | $23.97 | $49,850 | $38,220 | $63,350 | 1,780 | 1.14 | 1.21 |
| 24 | Montana profile | $23.76 | $49,420 | $37,080 | $60,730 | 370 | 0.72 | 0.76 |
| 25 | Nebraska profile | $23.75 | $49,390 | $37,210 | $59,400 | 910 | 0.89 | 0.94 |
| 26 | Ohio profile | $23.72 | $49,330 | $35,840 | $62,450 | 4,710 | 0.85 | 0.90 |
| 27 | Wyoming profile | $23.47 | $48,820 | $33,770 | $58,800 | 280 | 0.99 | 1.04 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania profile | $23.19 | $48,240 | $31,200 | $66,660 | 6,220 | 1.03 | 1.08 |
| 29 | Florida profile | $22.99 | $47,820 | $35,350 | $61,450 | 11,650 | 1.17 | 1.24 |
| 30 | New Mexico profile | $22.92 | $47,660 | $34,870 | $61,040 | 1,070 | 1.23 | 1.30 |
| 31 | Georgia profile | $22.58 | $46,960 | $31,680 | $60,330 | 4,830 | 0.99 | 1.04 |
| 32 | Arizona profile | $22.55 | $46,910 | $33,480 | $73,610 | 2,380 | 0.74 | 0.78 |
| 33 | New Hampshire profile | $22.40 | $46,580 | $37,920 | $59,810 | 340 | 0.50 | 0.52 |
| 34 | Virginia profile | $22.37 | $46,530 | $28,120 | $61,040 | 4,330 | 1.05 | 1.11 |
| 35 | Texas profile | $22.27 | $46,330 | $30,830 | $59,380 | 12,860 | 0.91 | 0.97 |
| 36 | Alabama profile | $22.23 | $46,240 | $29,500 | $61,000 | 2,790 | 1.32 | 1.39 |
| 37 | Alaska profile | $21.99 | $45,740 | $31,620 | $80,310 | 250 | 0.76 | 0.80 |
| 38 | Kansas profile | $21.88 | $45,510 | $29,100 | $57,090 | 910 | 0.64 | 0.67 |
| 39 | North Carolina profile | $21.48 | $44,670 | $25,140 | $58,570 | 7,250 | 1.47 | 1.55 |
| 40 | Maine profile | $20.85 | $43,360 | $34,590 | $61,950 | 770 | 1.20 | 1.27 |
| 41 | Tennessee profile | $20.80 | $43,270 | $28,390 | $61,400 | 2,550 | 0.78 | 0.82 |
| 42 | Kentucky profile | $20.72 | $43,100 | $29,610 | $56,170 | 1,580 | 0.79 | 0.83 |
| 43 | Oklahoma profile | $20.70 | $43,060 | $31,030 | $59,590 | 2,030 | 1.19 | 1.25 |
| 44 | Maryland profile | $20.13 | $41,870 | $35,900 | $61,210 | 3,120 | 1.13 | 1.19 |
| 45 | Mississippi profile | $18.83 | $39,170 | $29,420 | $58,340 | 1,970 | 1.69 | 1.79 |
| 46 | Louisiana profile | $18.66 | $38,810 | $27,840 | $59,010 | 2,200 | 1.14 | 1.20 |
| 47 | Connecticut profile | $18.37 | $38,220 | $34,980 | $62,330 | 810 | 0.48 | 0.50 |
| 48 | West Virginia profile | $17.23 | $35,840 | $26,520 | $47,960 | 1,000 | 1.42 | 1.50 |
| 49 | Arkansas profile | $17.13 | $35,640 | $26,590 | $51,570 | 1,600 | 1.23 | 1.30 |
| 50 | South Carolina profile | $16.77 | $34,880 | $22,340 | $50,600 | 2,020 | 0.88 | 0.92 |
| 51 | South Dakota profile | $15.84 | $32,950 | $27,380 | $47,700 | 340 | 0.75 | 0.79 |
Part of Transportation and Material Moving Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 53-7081 Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 53-7081, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-7081.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.