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Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors Salary

in Clarksville, TN-KY

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Clarksville, TN-KY make a median of $49,670 a year, or about $23.88 an hour. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers.

$50K
Median annual
$23.88/hr
Hourly rate
$28K
Entry level (10th %)
$59K
Senior level (90th %)

So what does $50K get you in Clarksville?

Estimated take-home pay$3,496/mo
Rent (2BR median)-$1,346/mo
Rent as % of take-home38.5% ⚠ above 30% guideline
Groceries-$356/mo
Utilities-$178/mo
Transportation-$313/mo
Healthcare *-$207/mo
Left over$1,096/mo

Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Clarksville’s Regional Price Parity (90.9). 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.

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About refuse and recyclable material collectors

Education: No formal educational credential
U.S. employed: 147,240
Clarksville, TN-KY employed: 70
Category: Transportation

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What this looks like in Clarksville

Refuse and recyclable material collectors pay in Clarksville tracks closely to the national median, $50K locally vs. $50K nationwide, a 0% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,346/month, which is 38.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.9 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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 Clarksville, adjusted for local cost of living.

MetroMedian payCOL-adjusted
Memphis$44K,
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin$58K,
Knoxville$51K,
Jackson$50K,

COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.

Compensation breakdown

Annual earnings by percentile, Clarksville, TN-KY

Bar chart showing Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary percentiles in Clarksville, TN-KY: 10th percentile $27,610, 25th percentile $35,030, median $49,670, 75th percentile $58,360, 90th percentile $58,610. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.10th$28K25th$35KMedian$50K75th$58K90th$59K
Bar chart showing Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary percentiles in Clarksville, TN-KY: 10th percentile $27,610, 25th percentile $35,030, median $49,670, 75th percentile $58,360, 90th percentile $58,610. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Entry-level refuse and recyclable material collectors (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.

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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
StateMedian salaryvs. nationalEmployment
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
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Showing 1–10 of 51 states

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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Clarksville numbers change.

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Frequently asked questions

Can a refuse and recyclable material collector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Clarksville?

It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 38.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,346/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Clarksville?

The 10th-percentile wage — what new refuse and recyclable material collectors typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,657/month. At HUD’s $1,346/month FMR, rent would take 81% 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 Clarksville?

Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $50K locally vs. $50K nationally, a 0% difference.

How does Clarksville compare to the national average for refuse and recyclable material collectors?

Clarksville pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — still ahead of the national median.

How much do refuse and recyclable material collectors make in Clarksville, TN-KY?

The median is $49,670 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,610, and experienced refuse and recyclable material collectors can clear $58,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.

Is $50K enough to live in Clarksville?

On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,496/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,346/month, which eats 38.5% 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 Clarksville?

Clarksville has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median refuse and recyclable material collectors salary is worth about $54,642 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.

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