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.
18% below national average Updated in 2025
Garbage collector earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level garbage collector earnings begin at:
$43.45 per hour
$90,370 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level garbage collector earnings begin at:
$36.09 per hour
$75,070 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level garbage collector earnings begin at:
$31.20 per hour
$64,890 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level garbage collector earnings begin at:
$26.64 per hour
$55,420 per year
10th percentile
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 | $19,930 |
| Puerto Rico | $18,530 |
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 drug & alcohol counselors but more than embalmers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Drug & alcohol counselor salary | $59K |
| Landscaper salary | $63K |
| Real estate agent salary | $58K |
| Locksmith salary | $61K |
| Private detective salary | $61K |
| Garbage collector salary | $65K |
| Postal service clerk salary | $64K |
| Postal service worker salary | $64K |
| Highway maintenance worker salary | $60K |
| Embalmer salary | $60K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)