Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors pay range in Houston
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,500 a year or less, while the top 10% make $58,280 or more. The middle half of refuse and recyclable material collectors in Houston earn between $35,880 and $55,080.
- $30K10th
- $36K25th
- $46KMedian
- $55K75th
- $58K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $45,250 | $3,771 | $21.75 |
| Median | $46,320 | $3,860 | $22.27 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $35,880 | $2,990 | $17.25 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $55,080 | $4,590 | $26.48 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary after taxes in Houston
On the average salary of $45,250, a single filer in Houston takes home about $38,538 a year, or $3,212 a month and $1,482 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Houston a good place for refuse and recyclable material collectors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Houston area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.6), so the average $45,250 buys what about $45,879 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Houston ($49,410). A typical home costs $308,306, or 6.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary in other Texas cities
Houston ranks 7th of 20 Texas metro areas for this job; Midland pays the most ($53,220).
- Midland$53,220
- Beaumont$48,330
- Austin$48,140
- San Antonio$47,390
- Odessa$47,250
- Dallas$45,430
- Houston$45,250
- Amarillo$44,070
- College Station$43,150
- Sherman$42,870
All Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salaries in Texas
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 Houston: questions
How much do refuse and recyclable material collectors make an hour in Houston?
$21.76 an hour on average, and $22.27 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level refuse and recyclable material collectors salary in Houston?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,500 a year and the 25th percentile is $35,880, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the refuse and recyclable material collectors take-home pay in Houston?
About $38,538 a year ($3,212 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $45,250. Texas has no state income tax.
Do refuse and recyclable material collectors earn more in Houston than elsewhere?
The average here is 17% less 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX (26420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.3%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.74, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.74).
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