How Much Does a Garbage Truck Driver Make in San Jose, CA ? (2026 Salary Guide)

Garbage Truck Driver Salary in San Jose, CA

As of May 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Garbage Truck Driver in San Jose, CA is $70,193, equivalent to $34 per hour, $1,350 weekly, or $5,849 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Garbage Truck Driver in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Garbage Truck Driver in San Jose, CA vary widely, spanning from $58,119 to $85,704. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($63,873) and 75th percentile ($78,312), while top earners (90th percentile) make $85,704 per year. This $14,439 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Commitment or Safety Administration, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, San Jose Garbage Truck Driver often earn 14.4% higher than national averages. However, San Jose currently ranks 1 statewide for Garbage Truck Driver job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

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Garbage Truck Driver Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Garbage Truck Driver Salary $58,119 San Jose, CA May 01, 2026
25th Percentile Garbage Truck Driver Salary $63,873 San Jose, CA May 01, 2026
50th Percentile Garbage Truck Driver Salary $70,193 San Jose, CA May 01, 2026
75th Percentile Garbage Truck Driver Salary $78,312 San Jose, CA May 01, 2026
90th Percentile Garbage Truck Driver Salary $85,704 San Jose, CA May 01, 2026
25% $63,873 10% $58,119 90% $85,704 75% $78,312 $70,193 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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What is a Garbage Truck Driver ?

Garbage truck or dustcart refers to a truck specially designed to collect municipal solid waste and haul the collected waste to a solid waste treatment facility such as a landfill. Other common names for this type of truck include trash truck in the United States, and rubbish truck, junk truck, dumpster, bin wagon, dustbin lorry, bin lorry or bin van elsewhere. Technical names include waste collection vehicle and refuse collection vehicle. These trucks are a common sight in most urban areas. Major U.S. manufacturers of garbage trucks include Mack and Autocar Trucks. Major manufacturers of gar...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/25/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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Job Openings for Garbage Truck Driver in San Jose, CA

Career Path for this job

  1. Down a level:

    Heavy Truck Driver I

    0 - 1 years experience
    High School Diploma or Technical Certificate

  2. This Job:

    Garbage Truck Driver

    1 - 3 years experience
    High School Diploma or Technical Certificate

  3. Up a level:

    Heavy Truck Driver III

    3 - 5 years experience
    High School Diploma or Technical Certificate

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Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Garbage Truck Driver, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
63873
78312
70193

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
69854
89681
78756
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Garbage Truck Driver in San Jose, CA. The base salary for Garbage Truck Driver ranges from $63,873 to $78,312 with the average base salary of $70,193. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $69,854 to $89,681 with the average total cash compensation of $78,756.

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63873
78312

 

About San Jose, California    San Jose is located at 37°20′07″N 121°53′31″W / 37.335278°N 121.891944°W / 37.335278; -121.891944. According to the United States Census Bureau, th....More

San Jose, California  area prices were up 2.9% from a year ago

Garbage Truck Driver Salary in popular cities: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco

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