The average salary for a garbage collector in California is around $64,890 per year.
Avg Salary
Garbage collectors earn an average yearly salary of $64,890.
Wages typically start from $45,970 and go up to $90,370.
19% below national average Updated in 2025
Garbage collector earnings by seniority
Top-level garbage collector earnings begin at:
$43.45 per hour
$90,370 per year
Senior-level garbage collector earnings begin at:
$36.09 per hour
$75,070 per year
Mid-level garbage collector earnings begin at:
$31.20 per hour
$64,890 per year
Junior-level garbage collector earnings begin at:
$26.64 per hour
$55,420 per year
Starting level garbage collector earnings begin at:
$22.10 per hour
$45,970 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Garbage collector salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Illinois | $75,050 |
| Washington | $74,620 |
| New York | $64,950 |
| California | $64,890 |
| Oregon | $63,210 |
| Minnesota | $62,570 |
| Nevada | $61,310 |
| Delaware | $61,290 |
| Colorado | $60,310 |
| Wisconsin | $59,810 |
| Utah | $59,310 |
| North Dakota | $59,000 |
| Indiana | $58,900 |
| Hawaii | $56,270 |
| Rhode Island | $55,970 |
| District of Columbia | $55,490 |
| New Jersey | $54,630 |
| Vermont | $51,960 |
| Michigan | $51,030 |
| Massachusetts | $50,310 |
| Missouri | $50,010 |
| Idaho | $49,880 |
| Iowa | $49,850 |
| Montana | $49,420 |
| Nebraska | $49,390 |
| Ohio | $49,330 |
| Wyoming | $48,820 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,240 |
| Florida | $47,820 |
| New Mexico | $47,660 |
| Georgia | $46,960 |
| Arizona | $46,910 |
| New Hampshire | $46,580 |
| Virginia | $46,530 |
| Texas | $46,330 |
| Alabama | $46,240 |
| Alaska | $45,740 |
| Kansas | $45,510 |
| North Carolina | $44,670 |
| Maine | $43,360 |
| Tennessee | $43,270 |
| Kentucky | $43,100 |
| Oklahoma | $43,060 |
| Maryland | $41,870 |
| Mississippi | $39,170 |
| Louisiana | $38,810 |
| Connecticut | $38,220 |
| West Virginia | $35,840 |
| Arkansas | $35,640 |
| South Carolina | $34,880 |
| South Dakota | $32,950 |
| Guam | $26,170 |
| Puerto Rico | $18,140 |
How do garbage collector salaries compare to similar careers?
Garbage collectors earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than computer repair technicians but more than delivery service drivers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Computer repair technician salary | $80K |
| Drafter salary | $77K |
| Wedding planner salary | $71K |
| Event planner salary | $71K |
| Real estate agent salary | $58K |
| Garbage collector salary | $65K |
| Embalmer salary | $60K |
| Professional painter salary | $59K |
| Optician salary | $58K |
| Delivery service driver salary | $47K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)