JobAfterNext

Recycling and Reclamation Workers

Prepare and sort materials or products for recycling. Identify and remove hazardous substances. Dismantle components of products such as appliances.

Wages

BLS doesn't publish wages for Recycling and Reclamation Workers separately. These are the figures for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand (53-7062), its parent occupation.

Median annual wage, U.S.$40,240
Employment, U.S.2,950,280
Median hourly wage$19.35
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$31,270$36,090$40,240$46,920$55,140
By state (51)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama36,140$36,6700.90
Alaska4,250$44,5100.69
Arizona71,090$44,2901.16
Arkansas21,430$35,9200.87
California355,500$44,7101.03
Colorado31,140$45,3700.57
Connecticut23,970$43,6400.74
Delaware5,220$37,3200.57
District of Columbia1,200$45,7400.09
Florida164,400$38,1600.87
Georgia137,580$38,4801.48
Hawaii9,490$44,1200.80
Idaho15,610$39,9000.96
Illinois195,390$40,5501.69
Indiana103,200$41,3401.70
Iowa30,890$43,4901.04
Kansas23,270$40,2500.85
Kentucky57,930$42,7701.53
Louisiana43,730$35,3401.19
Maine6,120$42,6400.50
Maryland47,710$41,6000.91
Massachusetts34,700$44,9200.50
Michigan79,410$38,8600.95
Minnesota54,480$46,2800.97
Mississippi30,750$36,4001.39
Missouri43,050$39,0800.77
Montana3,870$43,8400.40
Nebraska13,870$42,9100.71
Nevada40,850$39,3501.39
New Hampshire8,340$42,1100.64
New Jersey97,230$39,5401.20
New Mexico10,200$37,2300.62
New York100,950$44,6300.55
North Carolina116,720$38,2301.24
North Dakota9,990$45,6901.23
Ohio108,830$39,4601.03
Oklahoma38,210$36,9901.18
Oregon27,720$44,7500.74
Pennsylvania131,050$42,4801.14
Rhode Island6,760$41,6900.71
South Carolina56,700$37,5301.30
South Dakota3,820$38,9800.44
Tennessee105,870$38,1601.70
Texas216,970$37,5400.81
Utah29,670$42,3700.90
Vermont3,060$39,3900.53
Virginia58,000$39,3800.74
Washington49,450$46,1900.73
West Virginia11,300$36,9900.85
Wisconsin70,520$44,6101.26
Wyoming2,700$38,3300.51

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders1-20.972
2Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders1-20.958
3Helpers--Production Workers1-20.956
4Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders1-20.955
5Tire Builders1-20.955
6Machine Feeders and Offbearers1-20.953
7Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders1-20.952
8Engine and Other Machine Assemblers1-20.951
9Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic1-20.949
10Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers1-20.949

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Recycling and Reclamation Workers, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersCoordination0.880.972
Engine and Other Machine AssemblersQuality Control Analysis1.000.951
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticQuality Control Analysis1.000.949
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment OperatorsJudgment and Decision Making0.880.947
Roof Bolters, MiningCoordination1.380.943
Highway Maintenance WorkersCoordination1.380.943
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticOperations Monitoring1.130.939
Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground MiningCoordination0.880.931
Hoist and Winch OperatorsCoordination1.260.931
Automotive Glass Installers and RepairersInstallation2.750.929

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Recycling and Reclamation Workers, excluding software Recycling and Reclamation Workers already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
SAP software11 of 201.8x
Autodesk AutoCAD3 of 200.8x
Email software3 of 200.5x
Microsoft Outlook11 of 200.8x
Microsoft PowerPoint8 of 200.6x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 3.25 2.75
Active ListeningEssential skill 3.12 2.88
MonitoringEssential skill 3.12 2.75
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 3.12 2.75
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 2.75 2.75
SpeakingEssential skill 2.75 2.38
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 2.75 2.25
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 2.62 2.88
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 2.62 2.62
Time ManagementTransferable skill 2.62 2.50
CoordinationTransferable skill 2.62 2.12
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 2.62 2.12
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 2.50 2.38
Active LearningEssential skill 2.50 2.25
Service OrientationTransferable skill 2.50 2.25
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 2.38 2.62
WritingEssential skill 2.38 2.50
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 2.38 2.38
RepairingTransferable skill 2.25 2.38
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.25 2.00
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 2.25 1.88
InstructingTransferable skill 2.12 2.00
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 2.00 2.00
PersuasionTransferable skill 2.00 1.50
MathematicsEssential skill 1.88 1.50
NegotiationTransferable skill 1.88 1.50
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 1.88 1.50
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 1.88 1.50
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 1.75 1.12
Technology DesignTransferable skill 1.50 0.75
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 1.50 0.62
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 1.25not rated
ScienceEssential skill 1.12not rated
InstallationTransferable skill 1.00not rated
ProgrammingTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Production and Processing 3.88 4.75
Mechanical 3.51 3.99
Administration and Management 3.49 3.10
Public Safety and Security 3.48 3.57
Education and Training 3.35 3.85
Customer and Personal Service 3.21 3.53
English Language 3.10 3.66
Personnel and Human Resources 3.02 2.69
Sales and Marketing 2.95 3.04
Engineering and Technology 2.62 2.76
Mathematics 2.59 2.34
Administrative 2.55 2.60
Transportation 2.52 2.17
Psychology 2.41 2.31
Law and Government 2.25 1.84
Physics 2.21 2.04
Computers and Electronics 2.18 2.19
Telecommunications 1.96 1.74
Building and Construction 1.89 1.89
Communications and Media 1.83 1.36
Chemistry 1.79 1.61
Economics and Accounting 1.74 1.31
Design 1.62 1.23
Geography 1.52not rated
Therapy and Counseling 1.52 0.90
Medicine and Dentistry 1.47 1.04
History and Archeology 1.43not rated
Sociology and Anthropology 1.43 0.56
Biology 1.40not rated
Foreign Language 1.36not rated
Food Production 1.30not rated
Fine Arts 1.28not rated
Philosophy and Theology 1.21not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Manual Dexterity 3.75 3.38
Control Precision 3.62 3.62
Multilimb Coordination 3.50 3.75
Near Vision 3.50 3.38
Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.50 3.25
Finger Dexterity 3.25 3.12
Category Flexibility 3.25 3.00
Trunk Strength 3.25 3.00
Reaction Time 3.12 3.25
Information Ordering 3.12 2.88
Oral Comprehension 3.12 2.88
Oral Expression 3.12 2.88
Rate Control 3.12 2.88
Flexibility of Closure 3.12 2.75
Perceptual Speed 3.12 2.75
Selective Attention 3.12 2.75
Depth Perception 3.00 3.00
Far Vision 3.00 2.88
Speed of Limb Movement 3.00 2.88
Static Strength 2.88 3.00
Speech Recognition 2.88 2.88
Response Orientation 2.88 2.75
Visual Color Discrimination 2.88 2.62
Problem Sensitivity 2.88 2.50
Written Comprehension 2.75 2.75
Speech Clarity 2.75 2.62
Written Expression 2.75 2.62
Extent Flexibility 2.62 2.88
Time Sharing 2.62 2.62
Deductive Reasoning 2.62 2.50
Inductive Reasoning 2.62 2.50
Wrist-Finger Speed 2.62 2.50
Stamina 2.62 2.38
Gross Body Coordination 2.50 2.62
Visualization 2.38 2.38
Auditory Attention 2.38 2.25
Hearing Sensitivity 2.38 2.25
Speed of Closure 2.38 2.00
Dynamic Strength 2.25 2.00
Fluency of Ideas 2.12 2.12
Spatial Orientation 2.12 2.12
Gross Body Equilibrium 2.12 1.88
Peripheral Vision 2.12 1.62
Memorization 2.00 1.88
Originality 2.00 1.88
Glare Sensitivity 2.00 1.75
Night Vision 2.00 1.62
Number Facility 1.88 1.50
Mathematical Reasoning 1.88 1.38
Sound Localization 1.75 1.50
Dynamic Flexibility 1.38not rated
Explosive Strength 1.12not rated

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

Where it concentrates

BLS doesn't publish wages for Recycling and Reclamation Workers separately. These are the figures for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand (53-7062), its parent occupation.

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
Kenosha, WI5,4203.78$46,990
Memphis, TN-MS-AR37,7503.25$39,510
Chambersburg, PA3,1302.74$47,540
Stockton-Lodi, CA15,0302.73$47,330
Cleveland, TN1,9002.33$38,460
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN48,1002.29$44,180
Rockford, IL5,9402.27$44,200
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN29,4002.26$46,830
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA69,8202.14$46,060
York-Hanover, PA7,3602.11$43,380

More metros, other thresholds