Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors Wages
SOC 53-7081 • Full occupation profile
The median annual wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors is $45,760 nationally (2023 BLS OEWS). The 10th percentile is $30,050 and the 90th percentile is $67,970, showing the wide spread of wages in this occupation.
National Wage Distribution (2023)
Employment
135,430
P10
$30,050
P25
$36,100
Median
$45,760
P75
$58,360
P90
$67,970
National Wage Trend
How national median and mean wages for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors have moved across BLS OEWS release years.
| Year | Median | Mean | P10 | P90 | Employment | YoY Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $45,760 | $47,810 | $30,050 | $67,970 | 135,430 | — |
| 2022 | $43,540 | $45,560 | $28,190 | $64,390 | 132,240 | -4.85% |
| 2021 | $38,500 | $42,780 | $24,950 | $62,310 | 126,050 | -11.58% |
| 2020 | $39,100 | $42,620 | $23,880 | $67,530 | 120,850 | +1.56% |
Wages by State (2023)
State-level OEWS wage estimates for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors. The highest median is in Illinois at $71,100, 55% above the U.S. median.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Mean Annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $71,100 | +55.4% | $64,040 | 4,990 |
| Washington | $62,830 | +37.3% | $63,740 | 3,890 |
| Massachusetts | $60,310 | +31.8% | $55,380 | 1,590 |
| Oregon | $59,800 | +30.7% | $58,200 | 1,580 |
| California | $59,500 | +30% | $60,920 | 12,700 |
| Minnesota | $59,250 | +29.5% | $53,670 | 2,390 |
| Nevada | $58,630 | +28.1% | $55,260 | 590 |
| Colorado | $57,720 | +26.1% | $55,730 | 3,140 |
| New York | $57,460 | +25.6% | $60,480 | 6,950 |
| Wisconsin | $56,370 | +23.2% | $52,510 | 1,080 |
| Hawaii | $54,440 | +19% | $56,500 | 650 |
| Utah | $51,240 | +12% | $51,050 | 680 |
| Rhode Island | $50,750 | +10.9% | $49,190 | 480 |
| New Jersey | $50,140 | +9.6% | $50,950 | 5,290 |
| Michigan | $49,980 | +9.2% | $50,790 | 4,100 |
| Montana | $49,450 | +8.1% | $48,750 | 420 |
| District of Columbia | $49,210 | +7.5% | $51,540 | 570 |
| North Dakota | $48,470 | +5.9% | $47,590 | 320 |
| Iowa | $47,610 | +4% | $47,240 | 1,970 |
| Ohio | $47,140 | +3% | $47,160 | 5,040 |
| Connecticut | $47,050 | +2.8% | $49,680 | 760 |
| New Mexico | $46,450 | +1.5% | $45,260 | 1,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,410 | +1.4% | $46,490 | 6,220 |
| Idaho | $46,050 | +0.6% | $47,580 | 740 |
| Vermont | $45,590 | -0.4% | $44,760 | 170 |
| Indiana | $44,560 | -2.6% | $46,280 | 2,810 |
| Florida | $44,410 | -3% | $43,720 | 10,590 |
| Wyoming | $41,740 | -8.8% | $43,430 | 290 |
| Missouri | $41,420 | -9.5% | $44,140 | 2,530 |
| Maine | $40,130 | -12.3% | $40,860 | 1,060 |
| Texas | $40,080 | -12.4% | $41,170 | 10,800 |
| Georgia | $39,690 | -13.3% | $47,370 | 4,320 |
| Maryland | $38,420 | -16% | $41,200 | 2,420 |
| North Carolina | $38,420 | -16% | $38,810 | 6,150 |
| New Hampshire | $38,380 | -16.1% | $41,090 | 550 |
| Kentucky | $38,290 | -16.3% | $38,150 | 2,160 |
| Delaware | $38,230 | -16.5% | $42,730 | 380 |
| Nebraska | $37,780 | -17.4% | $41,760 | 1,370 |
| South Carolina | $37,750 | -17.5% | $36,180 | 3,120 |
| Oklahoma | $37,030 | -19.1% | $39,420 | 1,930 |
| Kansas | $36,710 | -19.8% | $39,150 | 960 |
| Alaska | $36,230 | -20.8% | $48,530 | 400 |
| Louisiana | $35,380 | -22.7% | $35,620 | 2,370 |
| Tennessee | $35,200 | -23.1% | $35,050 | 2,820 |
| Arizona | $35,020 | -23.5% | $40,210 | 1,650 |
| Arkansas | $34,870 | -23.8% | $35,400 | 1,980 |
| Mississippi | $34,150 | -25.4% | $36,030 | 1,480 |
| Virginia | $33,320 | -27.2% | $35,840 | 2,600 |
| Alabama | $32,950 | -28% | $35,160 | 1,800 |
| West Virginia | $32,290 | -29.4% | $33,140 | 1,000 |
| South Dakota | $31,320 | -31.6% | $33,090 | 380 |