SOC 53-7081 · Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors Salary in Harrisburg, PA

The average salary for refuse and recyclable material collectors in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania is $56,110 a year ($26.97 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $58,680: half of the 140 people in this job in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 6% more than the U.S. average for this job ($52,820).

$56,110average per year

$26.97 / hourMedian $58,680Take-home ≈ $45,542

  • $38K10th
  • $50K25th
  • $59KMedian
  • $66K75th
  • $66K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

140people in this job
+6%vs U.S. average
#1 of 12Pennsylvania metros
99cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors pay range in Harrisburg

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,610 a year or less, while the top 10% make $65,700 or more. The middle half of refuse and recyclable material collectors in Harrisburg earn between $50,400 and $65,700.

  • $38K10th
  • $50K25th
  • $59KMedian
  • $66K75th
  • $66K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$56,110$4,676$26.98
Median$58,680$4,890$28.21
Entry level (25th percentile)$50,400$4,200$24.23
Experienced (75th percentile)$65,700$5,475$31.59

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors pay in Harrisburg vs. Pennsylvania and the U.S.

Refuse and recyclable material collectors in Harrisburg earn 14% more than the Pennsylvania average ($49,400) and 6% more than the U.S. average ($52,820). At the median the gap is +18% against the U.S. median of $49,690.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Harrisburg$56,110$58,680$37,610$65,700140
Pennsylvania$49,400$48,240$31,200$66,6606,220
United States$52,820$49,690$33,590$75,900147,240

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary after taxes in Harrisburg

On the average salary of $56,110, a single filer in Harrisburg takes home about $45,542 a year, or $3,795 a month and $1,752 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.

Pennsylvania paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Harrisburg a good place for refuse and recyclable material collectors? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Harrisburg area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.7), so the average $56,110 buys what about $56,878 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Harrisburg ($49,610). A typical home costs $312,126, or 5.6 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $56,110 is worth in another city

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary in other Pennsylvania cities

Harrisburg ranks 1st of 12 Pennsylvania metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.

All Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salaries in Pennsylvania

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).

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary by city

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Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary in Harrisburg: questions

How much do refuse and recyclable material collectors make an hour in Harrisburg?

$26.97 an hour on average, and $28.21 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level refuse and recyclable material collectors salary in Harrisburg?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,610 a year and the 25th percentile is $50,400, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the refuse and recyclable material collectors take-home pay in Harrisburg?

About $45,542 a year ($3,795 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $56,110. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.

Do refuse and recyclable material collectors earn more in Harrisburg than elsewhere?

The average here is 6% more than the U.S. average for this job ($52,820).

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 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA (25420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 7.0%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.44, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.44).

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