The average salary for a garbage collector in New Jersey is around $54,630 per year.
Avg Salary
Garbage collectors earn an average yearly salary of $54,630.
Wages typically start from $37,590 and go up to $71,230.
34% below national average Updated in 2025
Garbage collector earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level garbage collector earnings begin at:
$34.24 per hour
$71,230 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level garbage collector earnings begin at:
$31.43 per hour
$65,370 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level garbage collector earnings begin at:
$26.27 per hour
$54,630 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level garbage collector earnings begin at:
$20.16 per hour
$41,920 per year
10th percentile
Starting level garbage collector earnings begin at:
$18.07 per hour
$37,590 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 New Jersey. On average, they make less than piano tuners but more than exterminators.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Piano tuner salary | $59K |
| Maintenance worker salary | $55K |
| Highway maintenance worker salary | $52K |
| Printing worker salary | $50K |
| Painting, coating & decorating worker salary | $52K |
| Garbage collector salary | $55K |
| Administrative assistant salary | $50K |
| Aesthetician salary | $46K |
| Hairdresser salary | $36K |
| Exterminator salary | $49K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)