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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

53-7081 Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors

Collect and dump refuse or recyclable materials from containers into truck. May drive truck.


National estimates for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
Industry profile for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
Geographic profile for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors

National estimates for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
132,240 1.3 % $ 21.91 $ 45,560 0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 13.55 $ 16.37 $ 20.94 $ 25.87 $ 30.96
Annual Wage (2) $ 28,190 $ 34,040 $ 43,540 $ 53,800 $ 64,390


Industry profile for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Waste Collection 66,410 32.93 $ 21.83 $ 45,410
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 37,840 0.70 $ 22.10 $ 45,960
Waste Treatment and Disposal 16,970 17.54 $ 24.11 $ 50,150
Employment Services 3,920 0.10 $ 14.39 $ 29,920
Remediation and Other Waste Management Services 3,310 1.94 $ 21.19 $ 44,070

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Waste Collection 66,410 32.93 $ 21.83 $ 45,410
Waste Treatment and Disposal 16,970 17.54 $ 24.11 $ 50,150
Remediation and Other Waste Management Services 3,310 1.94 $ 21.19 $ 44,070
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 37,840 0.70 $ 22.10 $ 45,960
Vocational Rehabilitation Services 780 0.29 $ 17.42 $ 36,240

Top paying industries for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Postal Service (federal government) 160 0.03 $ 27.91 $ 58,040
Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills 50 0.06 $ 27.53 $ 57,270
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 450 0.02 $ 26.44 $ 55,000
Waste Treatment and Disposal 16,970 17.54 $ 24.11 $ 50,150
Truck Transportation (8) (8) $ 23.62 $ 49,130


Geographic profile for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of refuse and recyclable material collectors by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 12,380 0.70 0.79 $ 27.75 $ 57,720
Texas 11,830 0.91 1.02 $ 19.30 $ 40,140
Florida 10,430 1.13 1.27 $ 20.08 $ 41,760
New York 7,840 0.86 0.96 $ 30.92 $ 64,320
North Carolina 6,280 1.35 1.51 $ 17.75 $ 36,910


Map of location quotient of refuse and recyclable material collectors by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Maine 940 1.53 1.71 $ 17.64 $ 36,700
Mississippi 1,710 1.51 1.69 $ 17.51 $ 36,430
Alaska 460 1.50 1.68 $ 23.93 $ 49,780
Delaware 670 1.46 1.63 $ 19.19 $ 39,920
North Carolina 6,280 1.35 1.51 $ 17.75 $ 36,910


Map of annual mean wages of refuse and recyclable material collectors by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York 7,840 0.86 0.96 $ 30.92 $ 64,320
Washington 3,670 1.08 1.21 $ 28.79 $ 59,870
Illinois 5,160 0.88 0.98 $ 27.98 $ 58,210
California 12,380 0.70 0.79 $ 27.75 $ 57,720
Oregon 1,890 1.00 1.12 $ 26.97 $ 56,100



Map of employment of refuse and recyclable material collectors by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 9,850 1.07 1.20 $ 30.14 $ 62,680
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 3,530 0.80 0.89 $ 29.42 $ 61,200
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,480 0.92 1.02 $ 19.49 $ 40,540
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 3,470 0.57 0.64 $ 26.20 $ 54,500
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 3,000 1.14 1.28 $ 21.57 $ 44,860
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 2,400 0.78 0.88 $ 20.19 $ 41,990
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 2,360 1.27 1.42 $ 23.51 $ 48,890
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 2,090 1.02 1.15 $ 30.21 $ 62,840
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 1,960 1.55 1.73 $ 19.96 $ 41,510
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,960 0.72 0.80 $ 22.93 $ 47,690


Map of location quotient of refuse and recyclable material collectors by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL 760 4.29 4.80 $ 27.72 $ 57,660
Greeley, CO 340 3.17 3.55 $ 24.21 $ 50,360
Bloomington, IL 270 3.01 3.36 $ 24.48 $ 50,910
Ocean City, NJ 120 2.95 3.30 $ 23.87 $ 49,640
Homosassa Springs, FL 90 2.82 3.15 $ 19.03 $ 39,580
Idaho Falls, ID 170 2.28 2.55 $ 26.67 $ 55,470
Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH 80 2.27 2.54 $ 18.95 $ 39,420
Laredo, TX 220 2.19 2.44 $ 17.15 $ 35,660
Hot Springs, AR 80 2.09 2.34 $ 15.03 $ 31,260
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 450 1.97 2.20 $ 17.71 $ 36,840


Map of annual mean wages of refuse and recyclable material collectors by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,890 0.79 0.89 $ 34.79 $ 72,350
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 950 0.85 0.95 $ 31.16 $ 64,820
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 2,090 1.02 1.15 $ 30.21 $ 62,840
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 9,850 1.07 1.20 $ 30.14 $ 62,680
Napa, CA 100 1.39 1.56 $ 29.79 $ 61,950
Anchorage, AK 110 0.66 0.74 $ 29.74 $ 61,860
Salinas, CA 130 0.73 0.81 $ 29.68 $ 61,740
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 170 0.82 0.92 $ 29.67 $ 61,710
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 3,530 0.80 0.89 $ 29.42 $ 61,200
Santa Rosa, CA 280 1.36 1.52 $ 28.82 $ 59,940

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 540 2.20 2.46 $ 15.67 $ 32,580
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 520 2.10 2.34 $ 14.57 $ 30,300
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 510 2.25 2.51 $ 16.11 $ 33,500
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 490 1.29 1.44 $ 18.98 $ 39,470
Mountain North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 330 2.56 2.86 $ 13.80 $ 28,700

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 330 3.22 3.60 $ 21.85 $ 45,450
Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 120 3.07 3.43 $ 18.61 $ 38,700
Northeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 280 3.05 3.41 $ 13.85 $ 28,800
Upper Savannah South Carolina nonmetropolitan area 210 2.69 3.00 $ 13.87 $ 28,840
Northwest Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 310 2.58 2.88 $ 21.44 $ 44,600

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area 240 1.94 2.17 $ 25.93 $ 53,930
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 170 1.72 1.92 $ 25.86 $ 53,790
Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area 150 2.38 2.66 $ 25.66 $ 53,380
Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area 120 1.07 1.19 $ 24.69 $ 51,360
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 90 0.91 1.02 $ 24.61 $ 51,180


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023