Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors Salary
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT make a median of $39,070 a year, or about $18.79 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.44), that's roughly $38,899 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,866/month, about 69.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K get you in Norwich-New London-Willimantic?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Norwich-New London-Willimantic’s Regional Price Parity (100.44). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Norwich-New London-Willimantic
Pay for refuse and recyclable material collectors in Norwich-New London-Willimantic runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,866/month, which is 70.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.44) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for refuse and recyclable material collectorss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for refuse and recyclable material collectors in metros near Norwich-New London-Willimantic, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | $36K | $35K |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury | $38K | $35K |
| New Haven | $47K | $45K |
| Waterbury-Shelton | $51K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT
Entry-level refuse and recyclable material collectors (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $28K 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)
Track refuse and recyclable material collectors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Norwich-New London-Willimantic numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a refuse and recyclable material collector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Norwich-New London-Willimantic?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 70.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,866/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Norwich-New London-Willimantic?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new refuse and recyclable material collectors typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,087/month. At HUD’s $1,866/month FMR, rent would take 89% 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 Norwich-New London-Willimantic?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $39K here vs. $50K nationally.
How does Norwich-New London-Willimantic compare to the national average for refuse and recyclable material collectors?
Norwich-New London-Willimantic pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — below the national median.
How much do refuse and recyclable material collectors make in Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT?
The median is $39,070 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,790, and experienced refuse and recyclable material collectors can clear $62,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Norwich-New London-Willimantic?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,640/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,866/month, which eats 70.7% 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 Norwich-New London-Willimantic?
Norwich-New London-Willimantic has a Regional Price Parity of 100.44 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median refuse and recyclable material collectors salary is worth about $38,899 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.