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 2.1% through 2035, with about 15,500 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
- Commonly called: Garbage Collector
- SOC 53-7081
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Last updated October 15, 2026
At a glance
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector in four numbers
- Median pay
- $49,690a year, or $23.89/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $34KTop 10% $76K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.1%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2.1%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2.1% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 15,500156,400 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025156.4K
- Projected 2035159.6K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 156.4K Projected 2035 159.6K - Typical education
- No formal credentialneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school1.6%
- High school81.5%
- Certificate5.7%
- Associate's11.2%
Highest education held by refuse and recyclable material collectors Segment Value Less than high school 1.6% High school 81.5% Certificate 5.7% Associate's 11.2%
Also advertised as: Front Load Trash Truck Driver, Garbage Man, Recycle Driver, Refuse Collector, Roll Off Container Truck Driver, Roll Off Truck Driver.
Pay
How much do garbage collectors make?
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors earn a median of $49,690 a year ($23.89 an hour, or about $4,140 a month); the lowest-paid 10% earn less than $33,590 and the top 10% more than $75,900 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The best-paying state is Illinois, with a median of $75,050. See Garbage collector salary in Illinois and every other state. By city, pay is highest around San Jose ($88,030 average): salary in every city.
Every refuse and recyclable material collector in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$49,690
Middle half earn $39,080 to $62,020
- 10th
- $33,590
- 25th
- $39,080
- 75th
- $62,020
- 90th
- $75,900
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $33,590 |
| 25th | $39,080 |
| Median | $49,690 |
| 75th | $62,020 |
| 90th | $75,900 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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 $62,840, this is 21% 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 21% of the 1,741 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.
Pay by state
Which states pay garbage collectors the most?
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.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Illinois | $75,050 | $75,082 | 4,910 |
| 2Washington | $74,620 | $69,730 | 3,750 |
| 3New York | $64,950 | $60,183 | 11,630 |
| 4California | $64,890 | $58,607 | 13,930 |
| 5Oregon | $63,210 | $61,155 | 2,500 |
| 6Minnesota | $62,570 | $63,445 | 2,500 |
| 7Nevada | $61,310 | $61,323 | 770 |
| 8Delaware | $61,290 | $61,408 | 600 |
| 9Colorado | $60,310 | $58,524 | 3,700 |
| 10Wisconsin | $59,810 | $63,563 | 1,550 |
Job outlook
Is garbage collector a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +2.1% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors | +2.1% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors to change 2.1% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 3,200 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 15,500 openings are projected each year, 9.9% of the 156,400 jobs that existed in 2025. 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 2025 to 2035, 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.
AI exposure: low
BLS places this occupation in its low relative AI exposure category, among the occupations least exposed to current AI.
Getting in
How to become a garbage 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.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
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 Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)81.5%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree11.2%
- Post-Secondary Certificate5.7%
- Less than a High School Diploma1.6%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 81.5% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 11.2% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 5.7% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 1.6% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a garbage 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
Fatal injury rate: 37.4 per 100,000 workers (11.3x the 3.3 average)
BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2024: 36 deaths that year.
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
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayRarely works in a climate-controlled indoor space.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening2.9
- Speaking2.9
- Critical Thinking2.8
- Reading Comprehension2.6
- Writing2.5
- Monitoring2.5
- Active Learning2.3
- Learning Strategies1.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 2.9 |
| Speaking | 2.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.8 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.6 |
| Writing | 2.5 |
| Monitoring | 2.5 |
| Active Learning | 2.3 |
| Learning Strategies | 1.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operations Monitoring3.0
- Operation and Control3.0
- Equipment Maintenance2.8
- Coordination2.6
- Social Perceptiveness2.5
- Troubleshooting2.5
- Repairing2.5
- Time Management2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Operation and Control | 3.0 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 2.8 |
| Coordination | 2.6 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.5 |
| Troubleshooting | 2.5 |
| Repairing | 2.5 |
| Time Management | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
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.
The workforce
Who works as a garbage collector?
Women make up 12.7% of refuse and recyclable material collectors, against 47.1% of all employed people: a heavily male-dominated occupation.
Only 18.1% are 55 or older (23.2% across all jobs): a young workforce.
The median worker is 40.7 years old (all workers: 42.1).
- Women
- 12.7%All workers 47.1% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Median age
- 40.7All workers 42.1 · BLS CPS, 2025
- Aged 55+
- 18.1%All workers 23.2% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Employed (CPS)
- 127,000BLS CPS, 2025
| Group | Share of refuse and recyclable material collectors | All employed people |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 12.7% | 47.1% |
| White | 67.8% | 75.7% |
| Black or African American | 24.2% | 12.7% |
| Asian | 4.4% | 7.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 33.1% | 20.0% |
| Aged 55 and over | 18.1% | 23.2% |
| Aged 16 to 24 | 15.7% | 12.2% |
Current Population Survey annual averages, 2025 (BLS tables 11 and 11b). Race groups can overlap with Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, so they do not sum to 100%.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a garbage collector?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
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.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional4.5
- Investigative1.8
- Enterprising1.4
- Social1.3
- Artistic1.0
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.
Explore further
Careers related to Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector
O*NET related occupations
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- Transportation and Material Moving
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$49,880median a year
Most earn $37K to $73K
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More transportation and material moving careers
Median annual pay, with refuse and recyclable material collectors highlighted
- Airline Pilot$232,140
- Commercial Pilot$123,220
- Locomotive Engineer$81,410
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster$78,000
- Crane and Tower Operator$68,080
- Flight Attendant$63,580
- Truck Driver$58,640
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector$49,690
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator$46,420
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Airline Pilot | $232,140 |
| Commercial Pilot | $123,220 |
| Locomotive Engineer | $81,410 |
| Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster | $78,000 |
| Crane and Tower Operator | $68,080 |
| Flight Attendant | $63,580 |
| Truck Driver | $58,640 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $49,690 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator | $46,420 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector appears on
Questions
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector: frequently asked questions
How much do garbage 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.
How much do garbage collectors make an hour?
The median hourly wage for refuse and recyclable material collectors is $23.89 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). On a full-year basis the $49,690 annual median works out to about $4,140 a month before tax.
What is the starting salary for a garbage collector?
BLS does not publish a starting salary. The nearest measure is the low end of the pay range: the lowest-paid 10% of refuse and recyclable material collectors earn less than $33,590 a year and the bottom quarter less than $39,080 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). New workers often start near that end, but where a particular job starts depends on the employer, the state and the credentials you bring, so read these as the bottom of the range rather than a guaranteed entry wage.
Do garbage collectors make $100k?
Rarely. Even the 90th percentile is $75,900, so fewer than 10% of refuse and recyclable material collectors earn $100,000 or more (BLS OEWS, May 2025). No state's median reaches $100,000; the highest is Illinois at $75,050.
Which states pay garbage 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 kind of garbage collector earns the most?
BLS does not split refuse and recyclable material collectors' pay by specialty or employer, but its range shows how far the top end runs: the highest-paid 10% earn more than $75,900, against a median of $49,690 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Location moves pay the most in the published data: the best-paying states are Illinois ($75,050), Washington ($74,620), New York ($64,950).
Do you need a degree to become a garbage 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 some 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 or the equivalent (such as a ged).
How long does it take to become a garbage collector?
BLS does not publish a fixed length; it depends on the route. What it does publish: the typical way in for garbage collectors is no formal educational credential. Once hired, BLS lists short-term on-the-job training as typical. O*NET classes the work as needing some preparation.
Is garbage collector a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 2.1% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 15,500 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a garbage 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.
Do garbage collectors work 40 hours a week?
Most work more than 40. In O*NET's survey of people in the job, 64% of refuse and recyclable material collectors usually work more than 40 hours a week, 29% work exactly 40 and 7% work fewer. 73% say their schedule is regular and 18% irregular, and 9% work seasonally. Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, Work Context.
What personality type suits a garbage 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 1,731 careers in the bank.
Do you need a license to work as a garbage 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.
What percentage of garbage collectors are women?
Women make up 12.7% of refuse and recyclable material collectors, against 47.1% of all employed people: a heavily male-dominated occupation. Only 18.1% are 55 or older (23.2% across all jobs): a young workforce. The median worker is 40.7 years old (all workers: 42.1). Source: BLS Current Population Survey, 2025 annual averages.