Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors Salary
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in New York make a median of $64,950 a year, or about $31.23 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $87K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.21), that's roughly $66,134 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,917/month, about 45.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New York. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $65K get you in New York?
About refuse and recyclable material collectors
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What this looks like in New York
New York sits well above the national pay line for refuse and recyclable material collectors, local pay runs about 31% 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 $1,917/month, which is 45% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.21) 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, New York
Entry-level refuse and recyclable material collectors (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $87K or more, a $44K spread from bottom to top.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary by metro in New York
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $65K | +1% | 13,310 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh | $58K | -10% | 190 |
| Rochester | $56K | -14% | 200 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $52K | -19% | 320 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum | $51K | -21% | 30 |
| Ithaca | $51K | -21% | 50 |
| Syracuse | $50K | -23% | 130 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $50K | -24% | 150 |
| Utica-Rome | $48K | -27% | 50 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New York numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a refuse and recyclable material collector afford a 2BR apartment alone in New York?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 45% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,917/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 New York?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new refuse and recyclable material collectors typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,564/month. At HUD’s $1,917/month FMR, rent would take 75% 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 New York?
Local pay is 31% above the national median — $65K here vs. $50K nationally.
How does New York compare to the national average for refuse and recyclable material collectors?
New York pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s +31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do refuse and recyclable material collectors make in New York?
The median is $64,950 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,740, and experienced refuse and recyclable material collectors can clear $86,720. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in New York?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,259/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,917/month, which eats 45% 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 New York?
New York has a Regional Price Parity of 98.21 (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 $66,134 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.