How much does a refuse and recyclable material collector make?

The median pay is $23.89 per hour — roughly $49,500 a year, with the real range running from about $16.15/hr (10th percentile) to $36.49/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a refuse and recyclable material collector?

The typical entry-level education is: Less than high school. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

What does a refuse and recyclable material collector actually do all day?

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.

Transportation

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors

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

What it pays
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors earn a median of $23.89/hr — about $49,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $16.15/hr; the top 10% earn $36.49/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)

What you'd actually 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.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: Less than high school. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

The feel of the work

Much of the work happens outdoors; much of the day is spent working solo. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 3.7% of refuse and recyclable material collectors are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.

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Related careers

Quick questions

How much does a refuse and recyclable material collector make?: The median pay is $23.89 per hour — roughly $49,500 a year, with the real range running from about $16.15/hr (10th percentile) to $36.49/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Do you need a degree to be a refuse and recyclable material collector?: The typical entry-level education is: Less than high school. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).
What does a refuse and recyclable material collector actually do all day?: 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.

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.

Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.