Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors Salary
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Athens-Clarke County, GA make a median of $46,560 a year, or about $22.39 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.34), which stretches that salary to about $49,882 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,331/month, about 41.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $47K get you in Athens-Clarke County?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Athens-Clarke County’s Regional Price Parity (93.34). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About refuse and recyclable material collectors
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Athens-Clarke County
Refuse and recyclable material collectors pay in Athens-Clarke County tracks closely to the national median, $47K locally vs. $50K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,331/month, which is 42.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.34 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for refuse and recyclable material collectors in metros near Athens-Clarke County, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $48K | $48K |
| Savannah | $49K | $51K |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $43K | $47K |
| Albany | $50K | $57K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Athens-Clarke County, GA
Entry-level refuse and recyclable material collectors (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $75K | +51% | 4,910 |
| Washington | $75K | +50% | 3,750 |
| New York | $65K | +31% | 11,630 |
| California | $65K | +31% | 13,930 |
| Oregon | $63K | +27% | 2,500 |
| Minnesota | $63K | +26% | 2,500 |
| Nevada | $61K | +23% | 770 |
| Delaware | $61K | +23% | 600 |
| Colorado | $60K | +21% | 3,700 |
| Wisconsin | $60K | +20% | 1,550 |
| Utah | $59K | +19% | 960 |
| North Dakota | $59K | +19% | 360 |
| Indiana | $59K | +19% | 3,180 |
| Hawaii | $56K | +13% | 770 |
| Rhode Island | $56K | +13% | 470 |
| District of Columbia | $55K | +12% | 540 |
| New Jersey | $55K | +10% | 4,330 |
| Vermont | $52K | +5% | 160 |
| Michigan | $51K | +3% | 4,020 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | +1% | 1,010 |
| Missouri | $50K | +1% | 1,930 |
| Idaho | $50K | +0% | 730 |
| Iowa | $50K | +0% | 1,780 |
| Montana | $49K | -1% | 370 |
| Nebraska | $49K | -1% | 910 |
| Ohio | $49K | -1% | 4,710 |
| Wyoming | $49K | -2% | 280 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | -3% | 6,220 |
| Florida | $48K | -4% | 11,650 |
| New Mexico | $48K | -4% | 1,070 |
| Georgia | $47K | -5% | 4,830 |
| Arizona | $47K | -6% | 2,380 |
| New Hampshire | $47K | -6% | 340 |
| Virginia | $47K | -6% | 4,330 |
| Texas | $46K | -7% | 12,860 |
| Alabama | $46K | -7% | 2,790 |
| Alaska | $46K | -8% | 250 |
| Kansas | $46K | -8% | 910 |
| North Carolina | $45K | -10% | 7,250 |
| Maine | $43K | -13% | 770 |
| Tennessee | $43K | -13% | 2,550 |
| Kentucky | $43K | -13% | 1,580 |
| Oklahoma | $43K | -13% | 2,030 |
| Maryland | $42K | -16% | 3,120 |
| Mississippi | $39K | -21% | 1,970 |
| Louisiana | $39K | -22% | 2,200 |
| Connecticut | $38K | -23% | 810 |
| West Virginia | $36K | -28% | 1,000 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -28% | 1,600 |
| South Carolina | $35K | -30% | 2,020 |
| South Dakota | $33K | -34% | 340 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track refuse and recyclable material collectors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Athens-Clarke County numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a refuse and recyclable material collector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Athens-Clarke County?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 42.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,331/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for refuse and recyclable material collectors in Athens-Clarke County?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new refuse and recyclable material collectors typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,747/month. At HUD’s $1,331/month FMR, rent would take 76% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is refuse and recyclable material collector a high-paying job in Athens-Clarke County?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $47K locally vs. $50K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Athens-Clarke County compare to the national average for refuse and recyclable material collectors?
Athens-Clarke County pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do refuse and recyclable material collectors make in Athens-Clarke County, GA?
The median is $46,560 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,120, and experienced refuse and recyclable material collectors can clear $60,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Athens-Clarke County?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,112/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,331/month, which eats 42.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a refuse and recyclable material collectors salary go in Athens-Clarke County?
Athens-Clarke County has a Regional Price Parity of 93.34 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median refuse and recyclable material collectors salary is worth about $49,882 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do refuse and recyclable material collectors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.