Sort by any column. Employment is the number of recycling and reclamation workers OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
Recycling and Reclamation Worker Salary by State (2026)
Recycling and Reclamation Workers earn the most in Minnesota at $46,280 a year and the least in Puerto Rico at $24,560 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $40,240. All 54 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $46,280
- National median
- $40,240
- Lowest median
- $24,560
- States reporting
- 54
Minnesota
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Puerto Rico
of 54 OEWS areas
Top 5 states for Recycling and Reclamation Workers
- 1. Minnesota$46,280 median · $46,927 adjusted · 54,480 employed
- 2. Washington$46,190 median · $43,163 adjusted · 49,450 employed
- 3. District of Columbia$45,740 median · $41,619 adjusted · 1,200 employed
- 4. North Dakota$45,690 median · $51,361 adjusted · 9,990 employed
- 5. Colorado$45,370 median · $44,026 adjusted · 31,140 employed
Lowest-paying states for Recycling and Reclamation Workers
- 54. Puerto Rico$24,560 median · no price parity · 10,410 employed
- 53. U.S. Virgin Islands$31,810 median · no price parity · 520 employed
- 52. Louisiana$35,340 median · $40,065 adjusted · 43,730 employed
- 51. Arkansas$35,920 median · $41,317 adjusted · 21,430 employed
- 50. Mississippi$36,400 median · $41,862 adjusted · 30,750 employed
Recycling and Reclamation Worker salary in every state
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $46,280 | $39,110 | $52,070 | 54,480 | $46,927 |
| 2 | Washington | $46,190 | $40,300 | $51,230 | 49,450 | $43,163 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $45,740 | $40,200 | $52,000 | 1,200 | $41,619 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $45,690 | $38,470 | $49,580 | 9,990 | $51,361 |
| 5 | Colorado | $45,370 | $39,610 | $48,770 | 31,140 | $44,026 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $44,920 | $38,920 | $49,190 | 34,700 | $42,475 |
| 7 | Oregon | $44,750 | $37,840 | $49,300 | 27,720 | $43,295 |
| 8 | California | $44,710 | $37,890 | $48,950 | 355,500 | $40,381 |
| 9 | New York | $44,630 | $38,450 | $49,200 | 100,950 | $41,354 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $44,610 | $37,510 | $48,500 | 70,520 | $47,410 |
| 11 | Alaska | $44,510 | $39,000 | $54,860 | 4,250 | $43,484 |
| 12 | Arizona | $44,290 | $37,280 | $48,170 | 71,090 | $43,992 |
| 13 | Hawaii | $44,120 | $37,830 | $50,630 | 9,490 | $40,127 |
| 14 | Montana | $43,840 | $36,610 | $46,670 | 3,870 | $46,320 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $43,640 | $37,810 | $48,060 | 23,970 | $42,119 |
| 16 | Iowa | $43,490 | $37,420 | $48,390 | 30,890 | $49,554 |
| 17 | Nebraska | $42,910 | $37,440 | $46,610 | 13,870 | $47,623 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $42,770 | $35,510 | $46,830 | 57,930 | $47,438 |
| 19 | Maine | $42,640 | $36,690 | $46,720 | 6,120 | $43,936 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $42,480 | $36,620 | $47,690 | 131,050 | $43,537 |
| 21 | Utah | $42,370 | $36,880 | $47,060 | 29,670 | $42,857 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $42,110 | $36,770 | $46,570 | 8,340 | $40,426 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $41,690 | $36,050 | $48,250 | 6,760 | $40,761 |
| 24 | Maryland | $41,600 | $36,960 | $45,760 | 47,710 | $39,635 |
| 25 | Indiana | $41,340 | $36,390 | $46,910 | 103,200 | $44,295 |
| 26 | Illinois | $40,550 | $35,890 | $47,560 | 195,390 | $40,567 |
| 27 | Kansas | $40,250 | $35,580 | $46,300 | 23,270 | $44,688 |
| 28 | Idaho | $39,900 | $35,160 | $45,400 | 15,610 | $41,783 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $39,540 | $35,910 | $46,770 | 97,230 | $36,340 |
| 30 | Ohio | $39,460 | $35,770 | $45,230 | 108,830 | $42,533 |
| 31 | Vermont | $39,390 | $35,480 | $46,370 | 3,060 | $40,211 |
| 32 | Virginia | $39,380 | $35,870 | $47,210 | 58,000 | $38,950 |
| 33 | Nevada | $39,350 | $37,010 | $45,820 | 40,850 | $39,358 |
| 34 | Missouri | $39,080 | $35,080 | $45,730 | 43,050 | $43,032 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $38,980 | $35,200 | $46,380 | 3,820 | $44,002 |
| 36 | Michigan | $38,860 | $35,730 | $46,390 | 79,410 | $40,388 |
| 37 | Georgia | $38,480 | $34,970 | $46,100 | 137,580 | $39,961 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $38,330 | $35,670 | $46,230 | 2,700 | $41,352 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $38,230 | $35,030 | $44,470 | 116,720 | $40,530 |
| 40 | Florida | $38,160 | $34,710 | $45,390 | 164,400 | $36,900 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $38,160 | $35,550 | $44,920 | 105,870 | $41,537 |
| 42 | Guam | $37,670 | $26,410 | $41,950 | 460 | N/A |
| 43 | Texas | $37,540 | $33,280 | $45,200 | 216,970 | $38,678 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $37,530 | $34,760 | $44,480 | 56,700 | $40,032 |
| 45 | Delaware | $37,320 | $34,920 | $44,960 | 5,220 | $37,392 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $37,230 | $31,790 | $43,800 | 10,200 | $40,374 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $36,990 | $32,250 | $41,420 | 38,210 | $42,109 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $36,990 | $31,150 | $44,540 | 11,300 | $41,331 |
| 49 | Alabama | $36,670 | $30,700 | $44,170 | 36,140 | $41,284 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $36,400 | $30,830 | $43,750 | 30,750 | $41,862 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $35,920 | $30,280 | $41,750 | 21,430 | $41,317 |
| 52 | Louisiana | $35,340 | $29,350 | $41,870 | 43,730 | $40,065 |
| 53 | U.S. Virgin Islands | $31,810 | $28,150 | $37,410 | 520 | N/A |
| 54 | Puerto Rico | $24,560 | $22,370 | $29,100 | 10,410 | N/A |
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For Recycling and Reclamation Workers, that changes the ranking: Minnesota leads on raw pay at $46,280, while North Dakota leads once prices are taken into account at $51,361.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Recycling and Reclamation Worker pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Recycling and Reclamation Workers the most?
Minnesota reports the highest median wage for Recycling and Reclamation Workers at $46,280 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by Washington ($46,190) and District of Columbia ($45,740).
Which state pays Recycling and Reclamation Workers the least?
Puerto Rico reports the lowest median for Recycling and Reclamation Workers at $24,560 a year, $21,720 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Recycling and Reclamation Workers earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts North Dakota first at $51,361 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $45,690. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
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