Garbage Truck Operator Salary in the United States

How much does a Garbage Truck Operator make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Garbage Truck Operator in the United States is $60,828 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $29.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $77,795
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $53,882 to $69,709
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $47,558
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View as table View as graph 25% $53,882 10% $47,558 90% $77,795 75% $69,709 $60,828 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Garbage Truck Operator Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $69,709 $5,809 $1,341 $34
Average $60,828 $5,069 $1,170 $29
25th Percentile $53,882 $4,490 $1,036 $26
Check out Garbage Truck Operator Job Openings in the United States
Owner Operator Truck Driver

J.B. Hunt Transport - Columbus, OH

Truck Driver Owner Operator

UACL Logistics - Mansfield, OH

Truck Driver Owner Operator

UACL Logistics - Toledo, OH

Truck Driver Owner Operator

UACL Logistics - Cleveland, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Garbage Truck Operator Salaries

A Garbage Truck Operator'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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Garbage Truck Operator Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Garbage Truck Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $67,349.
  • California: $67,093.
  • Massachusetts: $66,199.

Top Paying Cities for Garbage Truck Operators

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: $76,722
  • San Francisco: $75,882
  • Oakland: $74,283

What Skills Can Increase a Garbage Truck Operator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Presentation (Mentioned in 3.27% Job Postings): Presentation conveys information from a speaker to an audience. Presentations are typically demonstrations, introduction, lecture, or speech meant to inform, persuade, inspire, motivate, build goodwill, or present a new idea/product.
  • Illustrator (Mentioned in 3.53% Job Postings): Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor and design program developed and marketed by Adobe Inc. Originally designed for the Apple Macintosh, development of Adobe Illustrator began in 1985. Along with Creative Cloud, Illustrator CC was released.
  • WordPress (Mentioned in 2.52% Job Postings): WordPress is a free and open-source content management system written in PHP and paired with a MySQL or MariaDB database with supported HTTPS.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Presentation 3.27%
Illustrator 3.53%
WordPress 2.52%
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 Truck Operator's salary.
  • Risk Management: Can increase your salary by up to 42%.
  • Security Clearance: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
  • RFP: Can increase your salary by up to 18%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Risk Management
 $86,376
42%
Security Clearance
 $72,385
19%
RFP
 $71,777
18%
Technical Writing
 $67,519
11%
Publishing
 $66,911
10%
Adobe Acrobat
 $65,086
7%
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Garbage Truck Operator Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Garbage Truck Operator 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 Software & Networking and Financial Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 36% above the average. In contrast, Garbage Truck Operator positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Garbage Truck Operator as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Garbage Truck Operator

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking$82,878$40.036%
Financial Services$76,795$37.026%
Pharmaceuticals$73,754$35.021%
Biotechnology$70,713$34.016%
Energy & Utilities$67,671$33.011%

Garbage Truck Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Garbage Truck Operator'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.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on July 01, 2026
$53,882
Average $60,828/year
$69,709
$4,490
Average $5,069/month
$5,809
$1,036
Average $1,170/week
$1,341
$26
Average $29/hour
$34
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $69,709 $5,809 $1,341 $34
Average $60,828 $5,069 $1,170 $29
25th Percentile $53,882 $4,490 $1,036 $26

Salaries of jobs related to Garbage Truck Operator

Salary Trends for Garbage Truck Operator

Salaries for a Garbage Truck Operator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $50,122 in 2023 to around $49,808 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Garbage Truck Operator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Garbage Truck Operator Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$50,122
2024
$50,368
2025
$49,808
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $50,122
2024 $50,368
2025 $49,808
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Garbage Truck Operator

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Garbage Truck Operator

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

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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.)

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