United States · Pay by job · Transportation and Material Moving
Refuse and Recycling Collector salary and take-home pay
The typical US refuse and recycling collector earns $49,690 a year, or $23.89 an hour (BLS, May 2025). In Texas, where the median for this job is $46,330, a single filer keeps about $39,406 a year after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.
BLS title: Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors (SOC 53-7081). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
How much does a refuse and recycling collector earn?
| Percentile | Bar | A year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $33,590 | $16.15 | |
| 25th | $39,080 | $18.79 | |
| Median | $49,690 | $23.89 | |
| 75th | $62,020 | $29.82 | |
| 90th | $75,900 | $36.49 |
The middle half of people in this job earn $39,080 to $62,020 a year, and about 147,240 people do it across the US (BLS, May 2025).
Take-home pay tool
Refuse and Recycling Collector · Texas · single · median
$39,406.16 a year after tax
$3,283.85 a month · $1,515.62 a paycheck (every two weeks)
| Pay before tax | $46,330.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$3,379.60 |
| Social Security and Medicare | −$3,544.25 |
| Texas tax and payroll contributions | none |
| Take-home pay | $39,406.16 |
Pay: the median for this job in Texas, $46,330 a year (BLS). One job, standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, the year’s tax spread over 26 paychecks.
What does a refuse and recycling collector take home at each pay point?
A single filer on the national figures, paid every two weeks, with nothing taken before tax:
| Pay a year | Texas | California | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $33,590 | $29,170 | $28,441 | $27,776 |
| 25th | $39,080 | $33,581 | $32,561 | $31,867 |
| Median | $49,690 | $42,106 | $40,505 | $39,774 |
| 75th | $62,020 | $52,013 | $49,513 | $48,962 |
| 90th | $75,900 | $62,226 | $58,502 | $58,365 |
Take-home after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for 2026. New York is outside New York City.
Where does a refuse and recycling collector keep the most after tax?
Our 19 states, ranked by take-home pay on each state’s own median for this job (single filer). Only these 19 states have take-home figures so far.
| Rank | State | Median pay | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $74,620 | $60,290 |
| 2 | Illinois | $75,050 | $58,057 |
| 3 | California | $64,890 | $51,609 |
| 4 | Nevada | $61,310 | $51,443 |
| 5 | New York | $64,950 | $51,145 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $54,630 | $44,185 |
| 7 | Wyoming | $48,820 | $41,407 |
| 8 | Michigan | $51,030 | $41,265 |
| 9 | Ohio | $49,330 | $40,904 |
| 10 | Florida | $47,820 | $40,603 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $46,580 | $39,607 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $48,240 | $39,426 |
| 13 | Texas | $46,330 | $39,406 |
| 14 | Alaska | $45,740 | $38,703 |
| 15 | Georgia | $46,960 | $38,318 |
| 16 | Virginia | $46,530 | $37,705 |
| 17 | Tennessee | $43,270 | $36,947 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $44,670 | $36,799 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $32,950 | $28,655 |
How much does a refuse and recycling collector earn in each state?
| State | Median pay | People in the job | Take-home (single) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $46,240 | 2,790 | not yet |
| Alaska | $45,740 | 250 | $38,703 (#14) |
| Arizona | $46,910 | 2,380 | not yet |
| Arkansas | $35,640 | 1,600 | not yet |
| California | $64,890 | 13,930 | $51,609 (#3) |
| Colorado | $60,310 | 3,700 | not yet |
| Connecticut | $38,220 | 810 | not yet |
| Delaware | $61,290 | 600 | not yet |
| District of Columbia | $55,490 | 540 | not yet |
| Florida | $47,820 | 11,650 | $40,603 (#10) |
| Georgia | $46,960 | 4,830 | $38,318 (#15) |
| Hawaii | $56,270 | 770 | not yet |
| Idaho | $49,880 | 730 | not yet |
| Illinois | $75,050 | 4,910 | $58,057 (#2) |
| Indiana | $58,900 | 3,180 | not yet |
| Iowa | $49,850 | 1,780 | not yet |
| Kansas | $45,510 | 910 | not yet |
| Kentucky | $43,100 | 1,580 | not yet |
| Louisiana | $38,810 | 2,200 | not yet |
| Maine | $43,360 | 770 | not yet |
| Maryland | $41,870 | 3,120 | not yet |
| Massachusetts | $50,310 | 1,010 | not yet |
| Michigan | $51,030 | 4,020 | $41,265 (#8) |
| Minnesota | $62,570 | 2,500 | not yet |
| Mississippi | $39,170 | 1,970 | not yet |
| Missouri | $50,010 | 1,930 | not yet |
| Montana | $49,420 | 370 | not yet |
| Nebraska | $49,390 | 910 | not yet |
| Nevada | $61,310 | 770 | $51,443 (#4) |
| New Hampshire | $46,580 | 340 | $39,607 (#11) |
| New Jersey | $54,630 | 4,330 | $44,185 (#6) |
| New Mexico | $47,660 | 1,070 | not yet |
| New York | $64,950 | 11,630 | $51,145 (#5) |
| North Carolina | $44,670 | 7,250 | $36,799 (#18) |
| North Dakota | $59,000 | 360 | not yet |
| Ohio | $49,330 | 4,710 | $40,904 (#9) |
| Oklahoma | $43,060 | 2,030 | not yet |
| Oregon | $63,210 | 2,500 | not yet |
| Pennsylvania | $48,240 | 6,220 | $39,426 (#12) |
| Rhode Island | $55,970 | 470 | not yet |
| South Carolina | $34,880 | 2,020 | not yet |
| South Dakota | $32,950 | 340 | $28,655 (#19) |
| Tennessee | $43,270 | 2,550 | $36,947 (#17) |
| Texas | $46,330 | 12,860 | $39,406 (#13) |
| Utah | $59,310 | 960 | not yet |
| Vermont | $51,960 | 160 | not yet |
| Virginia | $46,530 | 4,330 | $37,705 (#16) |
| Washington | $74,620 | 3,750 | $60,290 (#1) |
| West Virginia | $35,840 | 1,000 | not yet |
| Wisconsin | $59,810 | 1,550 | not yet |
| Wyoming | $48,820 | 280 | $41,407 (#7) |
Median yearly pay for this job in each state, from BLS. Take-home and its rank are for the 19 states with a take-home engine so far. Each linked state shows its highest-paying jobs after tax.
What is the job outlook for a refuse and recycling collector?
BLS expects jobs as a refuse and recycling collector to grow 2.1% from 2025 to 2035, with about 15,500 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
- Job growth, 2025 to 2035
- +2.1%
- Openings a year
- about 15,500
- Usual education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
What do similar jobs pay?
The 10 transportation and material moving jobs closest in pay to a refuse and recycling collector:
- Airfield Operations Specialist median $56,850
- Hoist and Winch Operator median $56,450
- Other Rail Transportation Worker median $56,360
- Sailor and Marine Oiler median $51,520
- Dredge Operator median $49,640
- School Bus Driver median $47,920
- Motorboat Operator median $47,520
- Forklift and Industrial Truck Operator median $46,420
- Other Transportation Worker median $45,650
- Light Truck Driver median $44,860
Every job in the group: Transportation and Material Moving jobs. Not sure which job suits you? Try the free career test.
What else can I work out?
- Your paycheck on $49,690, with any pay schedule, 401(k) or HSA.
- Hourly to salary: $23.89 an hour as a yearly salary.
- Your 2026 tax refund on $49,690, with the new deductions for tips and overtime.
Where do these figures come from?
Pay is the BLS estimate for all employers in May 2025 (the latest), and the outlook is from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Your own pay depends on your employer, area and experience. Take-home is our estimate for 2026: one job, the standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, from the same engine as our paycheck calculator.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables (BLS); Employment Projections tables (BLS). This site is independent and not part of the BLS.
Questions about refuse and recycling collector pay
How much does a refuse and recycling collector make an hour?
The median is $23.89 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $18.79 to $29.82, and the top 10% earn $36.49 or more.
Which state pays a refuse and recycling collector the most?
Among the 50 states and DC, Illinois has the highest median for this job: $75,050 a year (BLS). After tax, of the 19 states we cover, Washington leaves the most: $60,290 a year for a single filer on its median of $74,620.
What is a refuse and recycling collector’s take-home pay?
On the national median of $49,690, a single filer keeps about $42,106 a year in Texas (no state income tax), $40,505 in California and $39,774 in New York outside New York City, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Pick your state in the tool above.
What education do you need to be a refuse and recycling collector?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the usual way in, with no work experience in a related job and short-term on-the-job training (a month or less).
Is the number of refuse and recycling collector jobs growing?
BLS expects jobs as a refuse and recycling collector to grow 2.1% from 2025 to 2035, with about 15,500 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).