Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors pay range in Seattle
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $59,270 a year or less, while the top 10% make $90,160 or more. The middle half of refuse and recyclable material collectors in Seattle earn between $71,700 and $88,960.
- $59K10th
- $72K25th
- $75KMedian
- $89K75th
- $90K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $76,420 | $6,368 | $36.74 |
| Median | $75,090 | $6,258 | $36.10 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $71,700 | $5,975 | $34.47 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $88,960 | $7,413 | $42.77 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary after taxes in Seattle
On the average salary of $76,420, a single filer in Seattle takes home about $62,591 a year, or $5,216 a month and $2,407 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
Is Seattle a good place for refuse and recyclable material collectors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Seattle area are 11% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.1), so the average $76,420 buys what about $68,764 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Seattle ($72,610). A typical home costs $750,279, or 9.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary in other Washington cities
Seattle ranks 1st of 9 Washington metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Seattle$76,420
- Bremerton$69,970
- Mount Vernon$69,850
- Olympia$69,090
- Kennewick$66,890
- Spokane$66,190
- Yakima$62,240
- Walla Walla$58,550
- Wenatchee$56,100
All Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salaries in Washington
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 Seattle: questions
How much do refuse and recyclable material collectors make an hour in Seattle?
$36.74 an hour on average, and $36.10 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level refuse and recyclable material collectors salary in Seattle?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $59,270 a year and the 25th percentile is $71,700, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the refuse and recyclable material collectors take-home pay in Seattle?
About $62,591 a year ($5,216 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $76,420. Washington has no state income tax; Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
Do refuse and recyclable material collectors earn more in Seattle than elsewhere?
The average here is 41% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA (42660). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.5%.
- 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. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.06, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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