How Much Money Does A Garbage Man Make? A Look At Salaries For Sanitation Workers In Big And Small Cities

Working in sanitation might not be the most glamorous field but it can provide workers with a stable career and solid wages. Figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show that employment growth for garbage collectors will grow by 13.2% between 2016 and 2026, with 17,900 jobs opening up.

Salaries and wages for garbage collectors range based on their location. One job listing for a trash collector in Los Angeles listed the salary at $30 an hour, while another in Portland, Tennessee, pays $15 to $17 an hour. A similar position in Ridgewood, New York, ranges from $18 to $26 an hour.

The BLS said that the median salary for a garbage collector is $36,610. Benefits are often included.

The profession does have its downsides, however. It is considered among the most dangerous jobs in the U.S., with vehicle collisions the most common cause of injury for workers. Garbage workers also might come in contact with hazardous materials, glass, or even animals such as raccoons in the trash cans.

The job can also be tiring and repetitive, as workers have to constantly get in and out of the garbage vehicles and dump garbage carts by hand into the truck.

Such a job also comes with requirements. Advertisements show that applicants should be at least 21 years of age, have a commercial driver’s license and complete a physical upon hire. Workers may have to routinely lift objects that weigh up to 75 pounds.

But the job is also being improved with new technologies, such as artificial intelligence. One project funded by Volvo pioneers an autonomous garbage truck that uses A.I. sensor-based technology to monitor its vicinity. Volvo hopes that the truck will make the job more efficient and prevent the repetition of workers going in and out of the vehicle.