Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors Salary
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA make a median of $36,160 a year, or about $17.39 an hour. The range runs from $26K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.71), which stretches that salary to about $39,003 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,271/month, about 51.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $36K actually covers in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford’s Regional Price Parity (92.71). 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
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What this looks like in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford
Pay for refuse and recyclable material collectors in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford runs about 27% below the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,271/month, which is 51.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.71 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for refuse and recyclable material collectors.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for refuse and recyclable material collectors in metros near Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $49K | $50K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $49K | $50K |
| Roanoke | $39K | $42K |
| Harrisonburg | $46K | $48K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA
Entry-level refuse and recyclable material collectors (10th percentile) start around $26K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $22K 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 (all 50 states + DC)
Track refuse and recyclable material collectors salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a refuse and recyclable material collector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 51.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,271/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new refuse and recyclable material collectors typically earn — is $26K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,851/month. At HUD’s $1,271/month FMR, rent would take 69% 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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford?
Local pay runs 27% below the national median — $36K here vs. $50K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford compare to the national average for refuse and recyclable material collectors?
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — below the national median.
How much do refuse and recyclable material collectors make in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA?
The median is $36,160 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,360, and experienced refuse and recyclable material collectors can clear $48,380. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,461/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,271/month, which eats 51.6% 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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford?
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford has a Regional Price Parity of 92.71 (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 $39,003 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.