Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors Salary
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Delaware make a median of $61,290 a year, or about $29.47 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.51), that's roughly $62,855 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,448/month, about 36.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Delaware. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $61K get you in Delaware?
About refuse and recyclable material collectors
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What this looks like in Delaware
Delaware sits well above the national pay line for refuse and recyclable material collectors, local pay runs about 23% higher than the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,448/month, which is 35.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.51) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Delaware
Entry-level refuse and recyclable material collectors (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $36K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track refuse and recyclable material collectors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Delaware numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a refuse and recyclable material collector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Delaware?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 35.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,448/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Delaware?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new refuse and recyclable material collectors typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,322/month. At HUD’s $1,448/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 Delaware?
Local pay is 23% above the national median — $61K here vs. $50K nationally.
How does Delaware compare to the national average for refuse and recyclable material collectors?
Delaware pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s +23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $63K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do refuse and recyclable material collectors make in Delaware?
The median is $61,290 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,700, and experienced refuse and recyclable material collectors can clear $74,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Delaware?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,039/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,448/month, which eats 35.9% 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 Delaware?
Delaware has a Regional Price Parity of 97.51 (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 $62,855 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.