Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors Salary
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN make a median of $50,030 a year, or about $24.05 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.77), which stretches that salary to about $54,517 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,166/month, about 35.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in La Crosse-Onalaska?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by La Crosse-Onalaska’s Regional Price Parity (91.77). 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 La Crosse-Onalaska
Refuse and recyclable material collectors pay in La Crosse-Onalaska tracks closely to the national median, $50K locally vs. $50K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,166/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.77 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for refuse and recyclable material collectors in metros near La Crosse-Onalaska, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $64K | $66K |
| Janesville-Beloit | $62K | $66K |
| Eau Claire | $59K | $63K |
| Madison | $60K | $61K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
Entry-level refuse and recyclable material collectors (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $32K 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 states
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 La Crosse-Onalaska?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 34.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,166/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 La Crosse-Onalaska?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new refuse and recyclable material collectors typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,903/month. At HUD’s $1,166/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 La Crosse-Onalaska?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $50K locally vs. $50K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does La Crosse-Onalaska compare to the national average for refuse and recyclable material collectors?
La Crosse-Onalaska pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do refuse and recyclable material collectors make in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN?
The median is $50,030 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,720, and experienced refuse and recyclable material collectors can clear $63,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in La Crosse-Onalaska?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,386/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,166/month, which eats 34.4% 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 La Crosse-Onalaska?
La Crosse-Onalaska has a Regional Price Parity of 91.77 (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 $54,517 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.