Garbage Collector Salary in the United States

How much does a Garbage Collector make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Garbage Collector in the United States is $39,883 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $19.

However, a Garbage Collector's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $46,957
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $36,755 to $43,586
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $33,907
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI Onboarding
AI-Powered Talent
View as table View as graph 25% $36,755 10% $33,907 90% $46,957 75% $43,586 $39,883 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Garbage Collector Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $43,586 $3,632 $838 $21
Average $39,883 $3,324 $767 $19
25th Percentile $36,755 $3,063 $707 $18
Check out Garbage Collector Job Openings in the United States
Registered Nurse

Via Christi Village Hays - HAYS, KS

Travel CCU RN

Focus Staff - BENNINGTON, VT

Physical Therapist

CareFirstNY - CAYUTA, NY

Physical Therapist

CareFirstNY - PAINTED POST, NY

Search More Garbage Collector Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Garbage Collector Salaries

A Garbage Collector's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Garbage Collector Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Garbage Collector's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $40,535
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $48,784
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $54,121
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $78,389
  • Expert (over 8 years): $103,459
Levels Salary
Garbage C... Level Garbage Collector$40,535
Claims Cl... Level Garbage Collector$48,784
Claims Cl... Level Garbage Collector$54,121
Claims Su... Level Garbage Collector$78,389
Claims Su... Level Garbage Collector$103,459
$40,535 0 yr
$48,784 < 2 yrs
$54,121 2-4 yrs
$78,389 5-8 yrs
$103,459 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Garbage Collectors

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $50,304
  • San Francisco: $49,753
  • Oakland: $48,705

What Skills Can Increase a Garbage Collector's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 13.26% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Financial Services (Mentioned in 3.37% Job Postings): A services provided by the finance industry, which encompasses a broad range of businesses that manage money. These services involve banking, brokerage, mortgages, credit cards, payment services, real estate, investment funds, taxes and accounting.
  • Security Clearance (Mentioned in 1.85% Job Postings): A security clearance is a status granted to individuals allowing them access to classified information or to restricted areas, after completion of a thorough background check.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 13.26%
Financial Services 3.37%
Security Clearance 1.85%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Garbage Collector's salary.
  • Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 27%.
  • Building Relationships: Can increase your salary by up to 27%.
  • Mediation: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Analysis
$50,651
27%
Building Relationships
$50,651
27%
Mediation
$47,461
19%
Presentation
$46,663
17%
Diversity and Inclusion
$45,466
14%
Decision Making
$45,466
14%
Get Latest Data

Garbage Collector Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Garbage Collector roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Garbage Collector positions in Transportation or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Garbage Collector as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Garbage Collector

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services$51,848$25.030%
Energy & Utilities$47,859$23.020%
Healthcare$43,871$21.010%

How Education impacts a Garbage Collector's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Garbage Collectors enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Garbage Collector with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $39,030 and $41,411).

Garbage Collector Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Garbage Collector
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.9%
High School 45.8%
Associates 17.6%
Bachelors 31.5%
Masters 2.8%
Doctorate 0.5%
view as graph

Garbage Collector Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Garbage Collector's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on July 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Garbage Collector

Salaries for a Garbage Collector can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $44,518 in 2023 to around $44,105 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Garbage Collector salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Garbage Collector Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$44,518
2024
$44,622
2025
$44,105
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $44,518
2024 $44,622
2025 $44,105
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Garbage Collector

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Garbage Collector

Here are companies hiring for Garbage Collector and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Garbage Collector Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Garbage Collector job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst