Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors pay range in Modesto
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,460 a year or less, while the top 10% make $70,380 or more. The middle half of refuse and recyclable material collectors in Modesto earn between $55,330 and $70,380.
- $48K10th
- $55K25th
- $60KMedian
- $70K75th
- $70K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $61,730 | $5,144 | $29.68 |
| Median | $60,110 | $5,009 | $28.90 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $55,330 | $4,611 | $26.60 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $70,380 | $5,865 | $33.84 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary after taxes in Modesto
On the average salary of $61,730, a single filer in Modesto takes home about $49,884 a year, or $4,157 a month and $1,919 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Modesto a good place for refuse and recyclable material collectors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Modesto area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 104.1), so the average $61,730 buys what about $59,294 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Modesto ($50,610). A typical home costs $468,302, or 7.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary in other California cities
Modesto ranks 14th of 22 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($88,030).
- San Jose$88,030
- San Francisco$76,010
- Santa Rosa$70,560
- San Diego$68,770
- Napa$67,510
- Santa Maria$67,140
- Sacramento$66,140
- Oxnard$65,980
- Vallejo$65,430
- Modesto$61,730
All Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salaries in California
Highest-paying cities for refuse and recyclable material collectors
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($88,030).
- San Jose, CA$88,030
- Seattle, WA$76,420
- San Francisco, CA$76,010
- Chicago, IL$71,570
- Santa Rosa, CA$70,560
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Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary in Modesto: questions
How much do refuse and recyclable material collectors make an hour in Modesto?
$29.68 an hour on average, and $28.90 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level refuse and recyclable material collectors salary in Modesto?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,460 a year and the 25th percentile is $55,330, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the refuse and recyclable material collectors take-home pay in Modesto?
About $49,884 a year ($4,157 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $61,730. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do refuse and recyclable material collectors earn more in Modesto than elsewhere?
The average here is 14% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($54,284).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 53-7081; area Modesto, CA (33700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.3%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.27, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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