Refuse & Recycling Collector

Explore This Path

Ideal for those who enjoy active, outdoor work with a community impact.
Help keep neighborhoods clean and sustainable by managing waste and recyclables.
Operate advanced machinery to efficiently collect and process materials.

💰 Earn $49K-$69K

📚 NO DEGREE REQUIRED

⏱️ 6–12 MONTH TRAINING

📈 2.3% JOB GROWTH

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What You’ll Do

Collect and dump refuse or recyclable materials from containers into truck. May drive truck.

Operate automated or semi-automated hoisting devices that raise refuse bins and dump contents into openings in truck bodies.
Inspect trucks prior to beginning routes to ensure safe operating condition.
Drive trucks, following established routes, through residential streets or alleys or through business or industrial areas.
Operate equipment that compresses collected refuse.
Dump refuse or recyclable materials at disposal sites.

Scoop

Minimum Education

None

Career Prospects

Good (Increasing by 1-5%)

Training Time

6 months to 1 year

Job Openings

18,000 Annually

Median Earnings

$59,500 in California

$45,760 Nationally

$25K

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Best For You If...

YOU Like 💕

Using data or completing tasks
Working with my hands

You are skilled in 💫

You value 🙏

Having support
Job security
Personal relationships

Deep Dive

Refuse & Recycling Collector

Explore career pathways, key skills, and what each role has to offer.

Pathways to this Career

Learn about the education and training paths that can lead to this career — and what to expect from each one.

Strategic Employment

Strategic employment provides individuals with valuable work experience, opportunities for professional growth and networking, and exposure to an industry where they may want to pursue advancement.

🎓 Paid Work

⏱️ FINISH IN 1-3 years

Vocational School

A vocational school typically equips students with specialized skills and practical training in specific trades or occupations, enhancing their employability and providing direct pathways to relevant careers.

🎓 Skills-Focused

⏱️ FINISH IN 6 months - 2 years

Workforce Development Program

A workforce development program typically enhances participants' opportunities to succeed in the workforce through employment skill-building, career counseling, connections to employers, and pathways to high-demand and high-wage jobs.

🎓 Skills-Focused

⏱️ FINISH IN 6 months - 2 years

Apprenticeship

An apprenticeship typically offers a combination of hands-on training and classroom instruction, leading to practical skills, industry-specific knowledge, and the potential for long-term employment in a specific trade or profession.

🎓 Paid Work

⏱️ FINISH IN 2-5 years