State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors is $49,690 a year ($23.89/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 0.9% through 2034, with about 16,900 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
SOC 53-7081Transportation and Material MovingLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $49,690
- Projected growth
- +0.9%
- Openings a year
- 16,900
- Typical education
- No formal credential
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Front Load Trash Truck Driver, Garbage Man, Recycle Driver, Refuse Collector, Roll Off Container Truck Driver, Roll Off Truck Driver.
How much do Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors make?
10th percentile$33,590
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$39,080
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$49,690
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$62,020
Upper quartile
90th percentile$75,900
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $49,690 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $23.89/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $52,820 |
| People employed | 147,240 |
Versus all US occupations
At $49,690, Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors earn 3% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $1,290 a year.
Versus transportation and material moving occupations
Inside the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $58,405, this is 15% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $75,900 or more while the bottom 10% earn $33,590, a gap of 2.3×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 28% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Illinois pays the most at $75,050, and still leads at $75,082 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $75,050 | $75,082 | 4,910 |
| Washington | $74,620 | $69,730 | 3,750 |
| New York | $64,950 | $60,183 | 11,630 |
| California | $64,890 | $58,607 | 13,930 |
| Oregon | $63,210 | $61,155 | 2,500 |
| Minnesota | $62,570 | $63,445 | 2,500 |
| Nevada | $61,310 | $61,323 | 770 |
| Delaware | $61,290 | $61,408 | 600 |
| Colorado | $60,310 | $58,524 | 3,700 |
| Wisconsin | $59,810 | $63,563 | 1,550 |
Is Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector a growing career?
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors0.9%
All US occupations3.1%
+0.9% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors to change 0.9% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 1,300 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 16,900 openings are projected each year, 11.4% of the 147,900 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of hand laborers and material movers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of hand laborers and material movers varies by occupation (see table).
Hand laborers and freight, stock, and material movers will still be needed to move materials in many sectors of the economy. However, some warehouses have installed equipment, such as high-speed conveyors and sorting systems, to increase efficiency.
How to become a Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector
There is no sanitation worker licence and no formal educational requirement. The one credential that matters is a commercial driver's licence, and it is required by vehicle weight rather than by job title: BLS says refuse and recyclable material collectors who drive trucks that exceed a certain capacity must have a CDL, and the federal threshold for a heavy straight vehicle is a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, which a loaded rear-loading packer comfortably exceeds. A less obvious rule catches lighter trucks too: driving any vehicle rated 10,001 pounds or more in interstate commerce makes you a commercial motor vehicle driver under FMCSA rules, which means a DOT medical examiner's certificate even without a CDL.
The credential path, step by step
- Apply without a credential; most routes start on the back of the truck1 month or less of on-the-job training
BLS records no formal educational requirements to become a hand laborer or material mover, and puts on-the-job training at 1 month or less, sometimes only a few days. New employees may shadow an experienced worker to learn basic duties and how to use equipment safely, and learn safety rules, many of which are standardised through OSHA.
- Get the CDL if you will drive the truck
BLS states that some hand laborers and material movers need a state-issued licence, and gives refuse and recyclable material collectors driving trucks that exceed a certain capacity as its example, noting that obtaining a CDL requires passing written, skill and vision tests. Federal rules define a Group B heavy straight vehicle as one with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of 26,001 pounds or more, which is the class most collection vehicles fall into and which corresponds to a Class B CDL.
- Get the DOT medical certificate
This applies more widely than the CDL does. FMCSA defines a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce as one with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more, and federal rules require anyone driving such a vehicle to be medically examined and certified as physically qualified, and re-examined at least every 24 months. A driver on a lighter route truck can therefore need a medical card without needing a CDL.
- Expect employer safety training rather than a certificate
BLS notes that workers learn safety rules as part of on-the-job training and that many of these are standardised through OSHA. Collection work involves riding on and dismounting from moving equipment, hydraulic packer blades and roadside traffic exposure, all of which OSHA standards address through employer duties rather than through worker credentials.
Licensing and state variation
Licensed state by state
Only in the sense that CDLs are issued by states to federal minimum standards, so the vehicle groups and the 26,001 pound threshold are national while the manual, the fees and the testing arrangements are not. Beyond that, municipal sanitation employment adds a layer that has nothing to do with licensing: many city sanitation departments hire through a civil service examination with its own list, residency rules and physical standards, and those are set locally.
Who governs the credential
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) — Sets the federal minimum standards states must apply when issuing commercial driver's licences, defines the vehicle groups and weight thresholds, and sets the driver qualification and medical certification rules that apply to any commercial motor vehicle over 10,001 pounds in interstate commerce.
Credential detail for refuse and recyclable material collectors is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Hand Laborers and Material Movers, How to Become One (includes refuse and recyclable material collectors) · checked August 23, 2026
- eCFR, 49 CFR 383.5 — Commercial motor vehicle definition and the Group A, B and C weight thresholds · checked August 23, 2026
- eCFR, 49 CFR 390.5 — Definition of commercial motor vehicle (10,001 pounds or more in interstate commerce) · checked August 23, 2026
- eCFR, 49 CFR 391.45 — Persons who must be medically examined and certified (and the 24 month interval) · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
There are usually no formal educational requirements to become a hand laborer or material mover. They typically learn through on-the-job training that lasts 1 month or less.
| Typical entry-level education | No formal educational credential |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Little or no preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Short-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as refuse and recyclable material collectors.
- High School Diploma81.5%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)11.2%
- Post-Secondary Certificate5.7%
- Less than a High School Diploma1.6%
What does a Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector do?
Collect and dump refuse or recyclable materials from containers into truck. May drive truck.
Hand laborers and material movers manually move freight, stock, or other materials. Some of these workers feed or remove material to or from machines, clean vehicles, pick up unwanted household goods, and pack materials for moving.
Day-to-day tasks
- Dump refuse or recyclable materials at disposal sites.
- Refuel trucks or add other fluids, such as oil or brake fluid.
- Communicate with dispatchers concerning delays, unsafe sites, accidents, equipment breakdowns, or other maintenance problems.
- Inspect trucks prior to beginning routes to ensure safe operating condition.
- Operate equipment that compresses collected refuse.
- Fill out defective equipment reports.
- Check road or weather conditions to determine how routes will be affected.
- Clean trucks or compactor bodies after routes have been completed.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most hand laborers and material movers work full time, although part-time work is common. Work schedules vary and may include nights and weekends.
Where the work happens
- Rarely works in a climate-controlled indoor space
- Outdoors in all weather at least weekly
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey, showing only the signals people in the job report decisively one way or the other.
Core skills
- Active Listening2.9/5
- Speaking2.9/5
- Critical Thinking2.8/5
- Reading Comprehension2.6/5
- Writing2.5/5
- Monitoring2.5/5
- Active Learning2.3/5
- Learning Strategies1.4/5
Transferable skills
- Operations Monitoring3.0/5
- Operation and Control3.0/5
- Equipment Maintenance2.8/5
- Coordination2.6/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.5/5
- Troubleshooting2.5/5
- Repairing2.5/5
- Time Management2.5/5
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software
- Compliance software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Facilities management software
- Map creation software
- Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software
- Mobile location based services software
- Time accounting software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary7.0
Investigative1.8
Artistic1.0
Social1.3
Enterprising1.4
Conventionalprimary4.5
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector: frequently asked questions
How much do Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors make?
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors earn a median of $49,690 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 3% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $23.89/hr. The middle half earn between $39,080 and $62,020. The top 10% earn $75,900 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 81.5% hold high school diploma.
Is Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 0.9% over 2024–2034 against 3.1% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 16,900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector do?
Hand laborers and material movers manually move freight, stock, or other materials. A core O*NET task: dump refuse or recyclable materials at disposal sites.
Which states pay Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors the most?
The highest state medians for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors are Illinois ($75,050), Washington ($74,620), New York ($64,950) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector?
O*NET scores Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.
Do you need a license to work as a Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector?
Yes, and it is issued by the state you work in, not nationally. Only in the sense that CDLs are issued by states to federal minimum standards, so the vehicle groups and the 26,001 pound threshold are national while the manual, the fees and the testing arrangements are not. Beyond that, municipal sanitation employment adds a layer that has nothing to do with licensing: many city sanitation departments hire through a civil service examination with its own list, residency rules and physical standards, and those are set locally.