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Garbage man salary in Florida

Updated November 2, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$47,820median pay per year in Florida, or $22.99 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $35,350lowest 10% earn less
  2. $39,40025th percentile
  3. $47,820median
  4. $58,09075th percentile
  5. $61,450top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $49,690[3]

The median pay for garbage men in Florida was $47,820 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $1,870 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in FL
11,650[4]
Rank by median pay
29 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
−3.8%[6]

How much do garbage men make in Florida?

Half of garbage men in Florida earned more than $47,820 a year, or $22.99 an hour, and half earned less[1]. The average was $48,960 a year[7]. The US median was $49,690 a year[3]. Florida had the 29th highest median of the 50 states and DC with a published median[5].

For all jobs in Florida the median was $47,880 a year[8]. Garbage men were $60 lower than that[9]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,350, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $61,450[2].

Among the 19 metro areas in or partly in Florida with a published median, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach had the highest, at $49,770 a year[10]. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford was at $48,920, with Jacksonville at $48,150[11]. OEWS counts people paid a wage or salary, part time or full time. It leaves out the self-employed and business owners, and it does not add bonuses or the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

Florida vs US pay

Pay for garbage men in Florida next to the national figures[1][3].

FLUS
Median per year$47,820[1]$49,690[3]
Median per hour$22.99[1]$23.89[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$35,350[2]$33,590[13]
Top 10% earn more than$61,450[2]$75,900[13]
Jobs11,650[4]147,240[3]

Pay by metro area in Florida

Metro areas in Florida with the most jobs for garbage men, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL[11]$49,7703,370
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL$47,6201,930
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL$48,9201,420
Jacksonville, FL$48,150760
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL$47,700510
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL$47,040380
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL$47,490350
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL$47,230280

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for garbage men in the states that border Florida, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Georgia[14]$46,9604,830
Alabama$46,2402,790

Median pay for garbage men in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for garbage men are projected to grow 2.1% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: no formal educational credential[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a garbage man make in Florida?
The median was $47,820 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $48,960 a year[7].
How much does a garbage man make an hour in Florida?
The median was $22.99 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $17.00 an hour and the 90th percentile was $29.54[17].
Which city in Florida pays garbage men the most?
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach had the highest median of the 19 metro areas with a published figure, at $49,770 a year[10].
Is Florida a good state for garbage men?
Florida ranked 29th of 50 states and DC for median pay[5]. Its median was $1,870 (3.8%) lower than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a garbage man in Florida?
Across the US, the typical entry education is no formal educational credential, with no work experience needed and short-term on-the-job training[16]. This is a US figure, not specific to Florida.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Florida was $47,820 per year and $22.99 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Florida: 10th percentile $35,350, 25th percentile $39,400, 75th percentile $58,090, 90th percentile $61,450. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in the US as a whole was $49,690 per year and $23.89 per hour, with about 147,240 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 11,650 people worked as Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Florida (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Florida had the 29th highest median annual wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Florida ($47,820) was $1,870 (3.8%) lower than the US median ($49,690). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Florida was $48,960 per year and $23.54 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Florida was $47,880. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Florida was $60 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($47,880). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 19 metro areas in or partly in Florida with a published median for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL had the highest median annual wage, $49,770. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in the US: 10th percentile $33,590, 25th percentile $39,080, 75th percentile $62,020, 90th percentile $75,900. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in states that border Florida (highest first): Georgia $46,960; Alabama $46,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors is projected to grow 2.1% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 15,500 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Florida: 10th percentile $17.00, 25th percentile $18.94, 75th percentile $27.93, 90th percentile $29.54. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Florida. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.