Collect and dump refuse or recyclable materials from containers into truck. May drive truck.
National median · BLS
$49,690
▲ +2.77%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$52,820
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
147,240
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$33,590
25th
$39,080
Median (50th)
$49,690
75th
$62,020
90th — top pay
$75,900
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
BLS projects employment of refuse and recyclable material collectors to grow 2.1% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 15,500 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
156,400 → 159,600
+3,200 jobs
Projected change
+2.1%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
15,500
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
3.8% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salaries by state
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Operation and Control3.0
Operations Monitoring3.0
Active Listening2.9
Speaking2.9
Critical Thinking2.8
Equipment Maintenance2.8
Coordination2.6
Reading Comprehension2.6
Monitoring2.5
Repairing2.5
Top knowledge areas
Mechanical3.2
English Language2.8
Transportation2.6
Customer and Personal Service2.5
Public Safety and Security2.5
Administration and Management2.1
Telecommunications2.0
Computers and Electronics2.0
Software and technology used
AMCS PlatformComputerized maintenance management system CMMSDossier softwareFleet management softwareGlobal positioning system GPS softwareMileage logging softwarePayroll softwareRouteware softwareSqueegeeWAM software
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What refuse and recyclable material collectors do
Inspect trucks prior to beginning routes to ensure safe operating condition.
Drive trucks, following established routes, through residential streets or alleys or through business or industrial areas.
Refuel trucks or add other fluids, such as oil or brake fluid.
Dump refuse or recyclable materials at disposal sites.
Fill out defective equipment reports.
Operate automated or semi-automated hoisting devices that raise refuse bins and dump contents into openings in truck bodies.
Dismount garbage trucks to collect garbage and remount trucks to ride to the next collection point.
Operate equipment that compresses collected refuse.
Also called
Garbage ManRoll Off Truck DriverSanitation LaborerTrash CollectorFront Load Trash Truck DriverRecycle DriverRefuse CollectorRoll Off Container Truck DriverSwamperTruck Driver
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $49,690.
