JobAfterNext

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors

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

Wages

Median annual wage, U.S.$49,690
Employment, U.S.147,240
Median hourly wage$23.89
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$33,590$39,080$49,690$62,020$75,900
By state (51)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama2,790$46,2401.39
Alaska250$45,7400.80
Arizona2,380$46,9100.78
Arkansas1,600$35,6401.30
California13,930$64,8900.81
Colorado3,700$60,3101.36
Connecticut810$38,2200.50
Delaware600$61,2901.31
District of Columbia540$55,4900.82
Florida11,650$47,8201.24
Georgia4,830$46,9601.04
Hawaii770$56,2701.30
Idaho730$49,8800.89
Illinois4,910$75,0500.85
Indiana3,180$58,9001.05
Iowa1,780$49,8501.21
Kansas910$45,5100.67
Kentucky1,580$43,1000.83
Louisiana2,200$38,8101.20
Maine770$43,3601.27
Maryland3,120$41,8701.19
Massachusetts1,010$50,3100.29
Michigan4,020$51,0300.96
Minnesota2,500$62,5700.89
Mississippi1,970$39,1701.79
Missouri1,930$50,0100.69
Montana370$49,4200.76
Nebraska910$49,3900.94
Nevada770$61,3100.52
New Hampshire340$46,5800.52
New Jersey4,330$54,6301.07
New Mexico1,070$47,6601.30
New York11,630$64,9501.27
North Carolina7,250$44,6701.55
North Dakota360$59,0000.90
Ohio4,710$49,3300.90
Oklahoma2,030$43,0601.25
Oregon2,500$63,2101.34
Pennsylvania6,220$48,2401.08
Rhode Island470$55,9701.00
South Carolina2,020$34,8800.92
South Dakota340$32,9500.79
Tennessee2,550$43,2700.82
Texas12,860$46,3300.97
Utah960$59,3100.58
Vermont160$51,9600.57
Virginia4,330$46,5301.11
Washington3,750$74,6201.12
West Virginia1,000$35,8401.50
Wisconsin1,550$59,8100.55
Wyoming280$48,8201.04

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
1Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders1-20.957
2Tree Trimmers and Pruners1-20.956
3Light Truck Drivers1-20.955
4Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining1-20.955
5Helpers--Extraction Workers1-20.952
6Sailors and Marine Oilers1-20.952
7Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers1-20.949
8Roof Bolters, Mining1-20.948
9Roustabouts, Oil and Gas1-20.946
10Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators1-20.946

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors, 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
FallersJudgment and Decision Making0.760.939
Couriers and MessengersReading Comprehension0.880.931
Aircraft Service AttendantsSpeaking0.880.930
Highway Maintenance WorkersCoordination1.000.929
Dredge OperatorsOperations Monitoring1.000.925
Construction LaborersSpeaking0.880.924
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersMonitoring1.000.922

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors, excluding software Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors 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
Inventory management systems4 of 206.4x
Microsoft Windows8 of 201.5x
Microsoft Outlook14 of 201.0x
Microsoft Excel18 of 201.0x
SAP software4 of 200.7x
Microsoft Word12 of 200.7x
Microsoft PowerPoint8 of 200.6x
Microsoft Office software12 of 200.7x

Skills

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

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 3.00 2.88
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 3.00 2.62
Active ListeningEssential skill 2.88 2.50
SpeakingEssential skill 2.88 2.00
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 2.75 2.62
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 2.75 2.00
CoordinationTransferable skill 2.62 2.50
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 2.62 2.00
Time ManagementTransferable skill 2.50 2.38
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 2.50 2.12
MonitoringEssential skill 2.50 2.00
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 2.50 2.00
WritingEssential skill 2.50 2.00
RepairingTransferable skill 2.50 1.88
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 2.38 2.12
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 2.38 2.12
Service OrientationTransferable skill 2.38 1.88
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 2.25 2.00
Active LearningEssential skill 2.25 1.62
PersuasionTransferable skill 2.00 2.00
NegotiationTransferable skill 2.00 1.88
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.00 1.75
InstructingTransferable skill 1.88 1.50
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 1.75 0.88
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 1.38 0.75
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 1.38 0.75
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 1.38 0.38
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 1.12not rated
InstallationTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 1.00not rated
MathematicsEssential skill 1.00not rated
ProgrammingTransferable skill 1.00not rated
ScienceEssential skill 1.00not rated
Technology DesignTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Mechanical 3.22 3.40
English Language 2.80 2.48
Transportation 2.60 2.38
Customer and Personal Service 2.55 2.08
Public Safety and Security 2.55 2.00
Administration and Management 2.12 1.40
Telecommunications 2.03 1.20
Computers and Electronics 2.02 1.62
Mathematics 2.01 1.78
Education and Training 1.96 1.84
Production and Processing 1.89 1.88
Administrative 1.88 1.62
Law and Government 1.82 1.36
Geography 1.77 1.61
Economics and Accounting 1.75 1.31
Sales and Marketing 1.74not rated
Personnel and Human Resources 1.63not rated
Physics 1.56not rated
Communications and Media 1.56 1.11
Foreign Language 1.55 0.67
Engineering and Technology 1.47 0.96
Chemistry 1.32not rated
Design 1.18not rated
Psychology 1.12not rated
Biology 1.06not rated
Building and Construction 1.06not rated
Medicine and Dentistry 1.06not rated
Therapy and Counseling 1.06not rated
History and Archeology 1.05not rated
Philosophy and Theology 1.05not rated
Fine Arts 1.00not rated
Food Production 1.00not rated
Sociology and Anthropology 1.00not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Multilimb Coordination 3.38 3.00
Static Strength 3.25 3.25
Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.25 2.25
Reaction Time 3.12 3.00
Trunk Strength 3.12 3.00
Manual Dexterity 3.12 2.62
Far Vision 3.00 3.12
Extent Flexibility 3.00 2.88
Near Vision 3.00 2.88
Oral Comprehension 3.00 2.88
Control Precision 2.88 2.88
Oral Expression 2.88 2.88
Speech Clarity 2.88 2.75
Visual Color Discrimination 2.88 2.75
Speech Recognition 2.88 2.62
Information Ordering 2.88 2.50
Problem Sensitivity 2.88 2.12
Depth Perception 2.75 2.62
Category Flexibility 2.75 2.38
Hearing Sensitivity 2.75 2.38
Auditory Attention 2.75 2.25
Stamina 2.75 2.25
Finger Dexterity 2.75 2.12
Glare Sensitivity 2.75 2.12
Selective Attention 2.75 2.12
Response Orientation 2.62 2.62
Rate Control 2.62 2.38
Dynamic Strength 2.62 2.25
Time Sharing 2.62 2.25
Deductive Reasoning 2.62 2.12
Gross Body Coordination 2.62 2.00
Visualization 2.50 2.25
Written Comprehension 2.50 2.25
Inductive Reasoning 2.50 2.00
Peripheral Vision 2.50 2.00
Written Expression 2.50 2.00
Perceptual Speed 2.38 2.12
Spatial Orientation 2.38 2.12
Flexibility of Closure 2.38 2.00
Gross Body Equilibrium 2.38 2.00
Night Vision 2.38 1.88
Speed of Limb Movement 2.12 1.50
Sound Localization 2.00 2.00
Memorization 2.00 1.75
Speed of Closure 2.00 1.62
Explosive Strength 1.88 1.25
Fluency of Ideas 1.75 1.38
Wrist-Finger Speed 1.62 1.00
Originality 1.50 1.00
Dynamic Flexibility 1.00not rated
Mathematical Reasoning 1.00not rated
Number Facility 1.00not 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

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
Monroe, MI2005.07$48,160
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL7504.40$75,440
Traverse City, MI2604.02$49,450
Arecibo, PR1103.26$21,970
Mayaguez, PR1503.03$21,840
Rocky Mount, NC1502.85$26,580
Albany, GA1302.35$50,010
Morristown, TN1002.22$38,020
Dothan, AL1202.17$39,350
Greeley, CO2502.17$56,160

More metros, other thresholds