Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors pay in California
$66,300avg. a year
$31.87 an hour · 13,930 employed
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in California earn an average of $66,300 a year. That is $13,480 (26%) more than the U.S. average of $52,820. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $88,030.
$64,890Median pay
$31.87Average hourly
+18%Avg. pay since 2020
#4Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for refuse and recyclable material collectors by metro area. Swipe to see all 22.
1870 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$88,030
$42.32 an hour
22,040 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$76,010
$36.54 an hour
3320 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$70,560
$33.92 an hour
41,230 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$68,770
$33.06 an hour
590 jobs
Napa, CA
$67,510
$32.46 an hour
6220 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$67,140
$32.28 an hour
7910 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$66,140
$31.80 an hour
8330 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$65,980
$31.72 an hour
9110 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$65,430
$31.46 an hour
10
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$64,340
$30.93 an hour
1190 jobs
Salinas, CA
$62,500
$30.05 an hour
121,280 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$62,350
$29.98 an hour
13390 jobs
Fresno, CA
$61,880
$29.75 an hour
14230 jobs
Modesto, CA
$61,730
$29.68 an hour
154,210 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$61,710
$29.67 an hour
1670 jobs
Merced, CA
$58,590
$28.17 an hour
1730 jobs
Chico, CA
$58,080
$27.92 an hour
18220 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$57,300
$27.55 an hour
19220 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$54,970
$26.43 an hour
2040 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$54,740
$26.32 an hour
21170 jobs
Visalia, CA
$51,550
$24.78 an hour
2230 jobs
Redding, CA
$47,370
$22.77 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California refuse and recyclable material collectors work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $45k$45k–$50k$50k–$55k$55k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $52,820 | $25.39 |
| California | $66,300 | $31.87 |
| Nevada | $64,120 | $30.83 |
| Oregon | $62,930 | $30.25 |
| Arizona | $48,500 | $23.32 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do refuse and recyclable material collectors make in California?
The average is $66,300 a year, and the median is $64,890. That is $13,480 (26%) more than the U.S. average of $52,820.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$31.87 an hour on average; the median is $31.20.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($88,030), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($76,010). The lowest average among 22 metro areas with data is Redding, CA ($47,370).
How does California rank?
California ranks #4 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 53-7081. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national refuse and recyclable material collectors page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.