Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors Salary
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Florida make a median of $47,820 a year, or about $22.99 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.58), that's roughly $48,509 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,658/month, about 48.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Florida. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $48K get you in Florida?
About refuse and recyclable material collectors
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What this looks like in Florida
Refuse and recyclable material collectors pay in Florida tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $50K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,658/month, which is 49.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.58) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florida
Entry-level refuse and recyclable material collectors (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary by metro in Florida
21 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildwood-The Villages | $52K | +9% | N/A |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $50K | +4% | 3,370 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $49K | +2% | 1,420 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | $49K | +2% | 170 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent | $49K | +2% | 250 |
| Jacksonville | $48K | +1% | 760 |
| Naples-Marco Island | $48K | +1% | N/A |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | $48K | -0% | 510 |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach | $48K | -0% | 140 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $48K | -0% | 1,930 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $47K | -1% | 350 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach | $47K | -1% | 280 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $47K | -2% | 380 |
| Tallahassee | $47K | -2% | 140 |
| Port St. Lucie | $46K | -3% | 170 |
| Punta Gorda | $46K | -3% | 110 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin | $46K | -4% | 180 |
| Ocala | $46K | -4% | 110 |
| Gainesville | $45K | -6% | 120 |
| Sebring | $45K | -6% | 40 |
| Homosassa Springs | $44K | -9% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 21 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Florida numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a refuse and recyclable material collector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florida?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 49.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,658/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 Florida?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new refuse and recyclable material collectors typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,121/month. At HUD’s $1,658/month FMR, rent would take 78% 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 Florida?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $50K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Florida compare to the national average for refuse and recyclable material collectors?
Florida pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do refuse and recyclable material collectors make in Florida?
The median is $47,820 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,350, and experienced refuse and recyclable material collectors can clear $61,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Florida?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,372/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,658/month, which eats 49.2% 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 Florida?
Florida has a Regional Price Parity of 98.58 (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 $48,509 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.