Transportation and Logistics · Career brief

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$49,690

Below the middle on pay

2025 national median. Below the middle of ChooseField careers for pay.

2Demand

2.1%

Slow projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Near the middle of ChooseField careers for growth.

3Openings

15,500

Above the middle on opening volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Above the middle of ChooseField careers for openings.

4Route in

No formal credential

A four-year degree is not the typical entry route

No formal educational credential. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Hands-on

Practical work with tools, systems, or physical environments

Inspect trucks prior to beginning routes to ensure safe operating condition.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

The work can involve real occupational hazards. Training, protective equipment, and routine safety discipline matter every day.

ChooseField take

The national benchmarks are mixed, so the work itself and the route in matter more than any standout pay or demand signal. It makes the most sense if hands-on work appeals to you and you are comfortable with entry without a formal credential. Main tradeoff: The work can involve real occupational hazards. Training, protective equipment, and routine safety discipline matter every day.

Before choosing, compare:Hoist and Winch Operators Sailors and Marine Oilers Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors with another field Explore rankings in Transportation and Logistics Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$49,690

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

2.1%employment growth15,500openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

No formal educational credential; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

156,400

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Refuse and recyclable material collectors (53-7081).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Inspect trucks prior to beginning routes to ensure safe operating condition.
Drive trucks, following established routes, through residential streets or alleys or through business or industrial areas.
Refuel trucks or add other fluids, such as oil or brake fluid.
Communicate with dispatchers concerning delays, unsafe sites, accidents, equipment breakdowns, or other maintenance problems.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

The work can involve real occupational hazards. Training, protective equipment, and routine safety discipline matter every day.
Operating or riding in vehicles is a recurring part of the work rather than an occasional trip.
Hands-on manipulation of tools, controls, or objects occupies a meaningful part of the workday.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment4.3
Performing General Physical Activities3.7
Handling and Moving Objects3.7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.4
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.3

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Realistic7.0
Conventional4.5
Investigative1.8
Enterprising1.4
Social1.3
Artistic1.0

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Mechanical Transportation Public Safety and Security Telecommunications

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Plan a realistic route or delivery problem with time, cost, safety, and disruption constraints, then revise it when one assumption changes.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Refuse and recyclable material collectors nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options