Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors pay range in Denver
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,960 a year or less, while the top 10% make $76,720 or more. The middle half of refuse and recyclable material collectors in Denver earn between $49,880 and $70,670.
- $40K10th
- $50K25th
- $61KMedian
- $71K75th
- $77K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $60,720 | $5,060 | $29.19 |
| Median | $61,190 | $5,099 | $29.42 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $49,880 | $4,157 | $23.98 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $70,670 | $5,889 | $33.98 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary after taxes in Denver
On the average salary of $60,720, a single filer in Denver takes home about $49,005 a year, or $4,084 a month and $1,885 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 (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Denver a good place for refuse and recyclable material collectors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Denver area are 6% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.8), so the average $60,720 buys what about $57,401 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Denver ($62,320). A typical home costs $573,221, or 9.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary in other Colorado cities
Denver ranks 1st of 7 Colorado metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Denver$60,720
- Boulder$60,170
- Colorado Springs$54,960
- Fort Collins$54,850
- Greeley$54,640
- Grand Junction$54,580
- Pueblo$50,030
All Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salaries in Colorado
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 Denver: questions
How much do refuse and recyclable material collectors make an hour in Denver?
$29.19 an hour on average, and $29.42 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level refuse and recyclable material collectors salary in Denver?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,960 a year and the 25th percentile is $49,880, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the refuse and recyclable material collectors take-home pay in Denver?
About $49,005 a year ($4,084 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $60,720. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do refuse and recyclable material collectors earn more in Denver than elsewhere?
The average here is 12% 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (19740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.6%.
- 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 (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.29, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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