Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors Salary
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT make a median of $37,510 a year, or about $18.03 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.86), so that salary is closer to $35,102 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,511/month, about 97% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury’s Regional Price Parity (106.86). 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 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury
Pay for refuse and recyclable material collectors in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,511/month, which is 98.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 7% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.86), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for refuse and recyclable material collectorss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for refuse and recyclable material collectors in metros near Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | $36K | $35K |
| New Haven | $47K | $45K |
| Waterbury-Shelton | $51K | $51K |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic | $39K | $39K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT
Entry-level refuse and recyclable material collectors (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $27K 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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Frequently asked questions
Can a refuse and recyclable material collector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 98.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,511/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new refuse and recyclable material collectors typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,171/month. At HUD’s $2,511/month FMR, rent would take 116% 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 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $38K here vs. $50K nationally.
How does Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury compare to the national average for refuse and recyclable material collectors?
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do refuse and recyclable material collectors make in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT?
The median is $37,510 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,180, and experienced refuse and recyclable material collectors can clear $63,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,542/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,511/month, which eats 98.8% 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 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury?
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury has a Regional Price Parity of 106.86 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median refuse and recyclable material collectors salary is worth about $35,102 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.