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Garbage man salary in New York

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$64,950median pay per year in New York, or $31.23 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $42,740lowest 10% earn less
  2. $47,02025th percentile
  3. $64,950median
  4. $86,31075th percentile
  5. $86,720top 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 man jobs in New York was $64,950 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $15,260 higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in NY
11,630[4]
Rank by median pay
3 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+30.7%[6]

How much do garbage men make in New York?

Half of the garbage men in New York earned more than $64,950 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $31.23 an hour[1]. The average was a bit higher, at $67,130 a year[7]. Across the US as a whole, the median was $49,690 a year[3]. New York sits above that by 30.7%[6]. It also sits $5,280 above the median for all jobs in the state, which was $59,670[8][9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $42,740 a year[2]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $86,720[2]. For the US, the same top group earned more than $75,900[10].

Among metro areas, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest median, $65,310 a year[11]. Buffalo-Cheektowaga had a median of $52,340[12]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers only. It leaves out the self-employed, and it does not include bonuses or the cost of benefits like health insurance[13].

New York vs US pay

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

NYUS
Median per year$64,950[1]$49,690[3]
Median per hour$31.23[1]$23.89[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$42,740[2]$33,590[10]
Top 10% earn more than$86,720[2]$75,900[10]
Jobs11,630[4]147,240[3]

Pay by metro area in New York

Metro areas in New York with the most jobs for garbage men, and the median pay in each[12]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ[12]$65,31013,310
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY$52,340320
Rochester, NY$56,080200
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$58,320190
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$49,580150
Syracuse, NY$49,810130
Ithaca, NY$51,32050
Utica-Rome, NY$47,70050

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
New Jersey[14]$54,6304,330
Vermont$51,960160
Massachusetts$50,3101,010
Pennsylvania$48,2406,220
Connecticut$38,220810

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 New York?
The median was $64,950 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $67,130 a year[7].
How much does a garbage man make an hour in New York?
The median hourly wage was $31.23[1]. The 10th percentile hourly wage was $20.55 and the 90th percentile was $41.69[17].
Which city in New York pays garbage men the highest?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest median annual wage among metro areas with a published figure, at $65,310[11].
Is New York a good state for garbage men?
New York had the 3rd highest median annual wage for this job among the 50 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was $15,260 above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a garbage man in New York?
Across the US, BLS lists no formal educational credential and no related work experience for this job[16]. The typical training is short-term on-the-job training[16]. This is a US figure, not a New York one.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in New York was $64,950 per year and $31.23 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 New York: 10th percentile $42,740, 25th percentile $47,020, 75th percentile $86,310, 90th percentile $86,720. 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 11,630 people worked as Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in New York (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: New York had the 3rd 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 New York ($64,950) was $15,260 (30.7%) higher 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 New York was $67,130 per year and $32.27 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in New York was $5,280 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($59,670). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in New York was $59,670. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. 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
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 9 metro areas in or partly in New York with a published median for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest median annual wage, $65,310. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. 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
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in states that border New York (highest first): New Jersey $54,630; Vermont $51,960; Massachusetts $50,310; Pennsylvania $48,240; Connecticut $38,220. 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 New York: 10th percentile $20.55, 25th percentile $22.61, 75th percentile $41.49, 90th percentile $41.69. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only New York. 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.