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Salary comparison

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors vs. Stockers and Order Fillers: Who Earns More?

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectorss out-earn Stockers and Order Fillerss by $12K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectorss land at $49,690 and Stockers and Order Fillerss at $37,330. The education gap is real: refuse and recyclable material collector programs typically require no formal educational credential, while stockers and order filler programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectorss is Illinois ($75,050); for Stockers and Order Fillerss it's Washington ($44,620).

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
Stockers and Order Fillers
Median salary
$49,690
$37,330
Hourly rate
$23.89/hr
$17.95/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$33,590
$30,110
Senior level (90th %)
$75,900
$49,260
Education required
No formal educational credential
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
147,240
2,833,810
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
8.5%
Category
Transportation
Transportation
Top-paying state
Illinois
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors median pay.

State
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
Stockers and Order Fillers
Illinois
$75,050
$37,680
Washington
$74,620
$44,620
New York
$64,950
$39,030
California
$64,890
$42,870
Oregon
$63,210
$43,480
Colorado
$60,310
$42,350
Utah
$59,310
$37,690
Hawaii
$56,270
$39,300
District of Columbia
$55,490
$39,640
Montana
$49,420
$39,050
Wyoming
$48,820
$39,580
Alaska
$45,740
$40,310
Maryland
$41,870
$37,690
Connecticut
$38,220
$40,590
South Dakota
$32,950
$37,650

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectorss or Stockers and Order Fillerss?

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectorss earn more nationally. The median is $49,690 for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectorss versus $37,330 for Stockers and Order Fillerss, a difference of $12K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors or Stockers and Order Fillers?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors or Stockers and Order Fillers?

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors typically requires no formal educational credential. Stockers and Order Fillers requires no formal educational credential. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectorss get paid the most?

Illinois is the top-paying state for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectorss at $75,050/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors vs. Stockers and Order Fillers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Illinois, Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectorss earn $75,050 vs. $37,680 for Stockers and Order Fillerss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary breakdownView →Full Stockers and Order Fillers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectorss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Stockers and Order Fillerss by take-home payExplore →How to become a refuse and recyclable material collectorsGuide →How to become a stockers and order fillersGuide →