Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,780 a year or less, while the top 10% make $89,090 or more. The middle half of refuse and recyclable material collectors in Chicago earn between $62,280 and $86,460.
- $40K10th
- $62K25th
- $77KMedian
- $86K75th
- $89K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $71,570 | $5,964 | $34.41 |
| Median | $77,470 | $6,456 | $37.25 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $62,280 | $5,190 | $29.94 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $86,460 | $7,205 | $41.57 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $71,570, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $55,778 a year, or $4,648 a month and $2,145 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $57,062 | $4,755 |
| Working in IL | $55,778 | $4,648 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for refuse and recyclable material collectors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $71,570 buys what about $69,086 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 4.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 1st of 4 Illinois metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Chicago$71,570
- Springfield$61,350
- Peoria$56,690
- Champaign$47,020
All Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salaries in Illinois
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 Chicago: questions
How much do refuse and recyclable material collectors make an hour in Chicago?
$34.41 an hour on average, and $37.24 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level refuse and recyclable material collectors salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,780 a year and the 25th percentile is $62,280, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the refuse and recyclable material collectors take-home pay in Chicago?
About $55,778 a year ($4,648 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $71,570.
Do refuse and recyclable material collectors earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 32% 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.6%.
- 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 (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.78, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.78).
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