Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors Salary
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Grand Forks, ND-MN make a median of $58,810 a year, or about $28.27 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $72K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.66), which stretches that salary to about $67,863 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,089/month, or 27.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $59K get you in Grand Forks?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Grand Forks’s Regional Price Parity (86.66). 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 Grand Forks
Grand Forks sits well above the national pay line for refuse and recyclable material collectors, local pay runs about 18% higher than the U.S. median of $50K. Rent runs $1,089/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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 Grand Forks, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fargo | $61K | $67K |
| Bismarck | $61K | $67K |
| Minot | $56K | $65K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $64K | $61K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Grand Forks, ND-MN
Entry-level refuse and recyclable material collectors (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $72K or more, a $23K 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)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a refuse and recyclable material collector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Grand Forks?
Yes — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 27.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,089/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for refuse and recyclable material collectors in Grand Forks?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new refuse and recyclable material collectors typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,954/month. At HUD’s $1,089/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Grand Forks?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $59K here vs. $50K nationally.
How does Grand Forks compare to the national average for refuse and recyclable material collectors?
Grand Forks pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s +18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do refuse and recyclable material collectors make in Grand Forks, ND-MN?
The median is $58,810 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,240, and experienced refuse and recyclable material collectors can clear $72,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Grand Forks?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,012/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,089/month, which eats 27.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a refuse and recyclable material collectors salary go in Grand Forks?
Grand Forks has a Regional Price Parity of 86.66 (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 $67,863 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.