Best states for a garbage collector

Q: What is the best state for garbage collectors?

The best state to be a garbage collector is Washington based on garbage collector salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for garbage collectors?

The highest paying state for garbage collectors is Tennessee based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for garbage collectors?

The worst state for garbage collectors is District of Columbia, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for garbage collectors in the United States. Garbage collector positions are available in every state, but not all states are the same. Some states do not offer the same wages, benefits, time off, etc for garbage collectors.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for garbage collectors. We found that Washington is the best state in the nation for garbage collectors, and people in Anchorage earn the most in the field.

To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for garbage collectors.We found that the South is best for garbage collectors, and the West is the worst. Fairfield, CA is the best city in the country for garbage collector jobs, where as Washington is the best state in the country.

10 best states for garbage collectors in 2025

1. Washington
Total garbage collector jobs: 58
Average annual salary: $39,711
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Location Quotient:
1.18
Garbage collector jobs in Washington
2. California
Total garbage collector jobs: 222
Average annual salary: $42,121
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Location Quotient:
1.13
Garbage collector jobs in California
3. Alaska
Total garbage collector jobs: 5
Average annual salary: $43,551
Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000
Location Quotient:
0.89
Garbage collector jobs in Alaska
4. Utah
Total garbage collector jobs: 23
Average annual salary: $34,955
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
1.07
Garbage collector jobs in Utah
5. Oregon
Total garbage collector jobs: 29
Average annual salary: $37,340
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000
Location Quotient:
1.04
Garbage collector jobs in Oregon
6. Nevada
Total garbage collector jobs: 18
Average annual salary: $32,819
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
1.28
Garbage collector jobs in Nevada
7. Wyoming
Total garbage collector jobs: 2
Average annual salary: $36,982
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Location Quotient:
0.5
Garbage collector jobs in Wyoming
8. Texas
Total garbage collector jobs: 220
Average annual salary: $30,729
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
1.62
Garbage collector jobs in Texas
9. West Virginia
Total garbage collector jobs: 16
Average annual salary: $30,106
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
1.56
Garbage collector jobs in West Virginia
10. Colorado
Total garbage collector jobs: 40
Average annual salary: $33,104
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Location Quotient:
1
Garbage collector jobs in Colorado

Garbage collector jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a garbage collector

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a garbage collector

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Washington	$39,711	$31,000	7,405,743	58
2	California	$42,121	$31,000	39,536,653	222
3	Alaska	$43,551	$38,000	739,795	5
4	Utah	$34,955	$26,000	3,101,833	23
5	Oregon	$37,340	$29,000	4,142,776	29
6	Nevada	$32,819	$24,000	2,998,039	18
7	Wyoming	$36,982	$28,000	579,315	2
8	Texas	$30,729	$22,000	28,304,596	220
9	West Virginia	$30,106	$21,000	1,815,857	16
10	Colorado	$33,104	$24,000	5,607,154	40
11	Minnesota	$35,388	$25,000	5,576,606	21
12	North Dakota	$33,471	$25,000	755,393	3
13	Massachusetts	$34,611	$23,000	6,859,819	43
14	Vermont	$35,173	$25,000	623,657	2
15	Arizona	$30,500	$22,000	7,016,270	37
16	Maine	$32,935	$24,000	1,335,907	2
17	Florida	$27,256	$19,000	20,984,400	277
18	New Mexico	$30,322	$22,000	2,088,070	9
19	New Hampshire	$28,979	$20,000	1,342,795	9
20	Wisconsin	$30,777	$21,000	5,795,483	4
21	Idaho	$31,477	$24,000	1,716,943	1
22	New York	$29,441	$19,000	19,849,399	64
23	Indiana	$26,909	$19,000	6,666,818	35
24	Michigan	$27,804	$19,000	9,962,311	33
25	Oklahoma	$28,397	$20,000	3,930,864	12
26	Connecticut	$28,182	$19,000	3,588,184	16
27	Illinois	$29,346	$20,000	12,802,023	35
28	Ohio	$27,225	$19,000	11,658,609	43
29	Missouri	$26,365	$19,000	6,113,532	30
30	Arkansas	$26,678	$19,000	3,004,279	11
31	Alabama	$24,185	$17,000	4,874,747	39
32	Pennsylvania	$26,212	$17,000	12,805,537	60
33	Rhode Island	$23,472	$16,000	1,059,639	15
34	New Jersey	$27,224	$18,000	9,005,644	44
35	Louisiana	$23,818	$17,000	4,684,333	25
36	Montana	$24,687	$19,000	1,050,493	6
37	Delaware	$27,371	$18,000	961,939	3
38	Kentucky	$23,752	$16,000	4,454,189	24
39	Georgia	$22,439	$16,000	10,429,379	91
40	Iowa	$25,846	$18,000	3,145,711	9
41	Hawaii	$27,400	$22,000	1,427,538	2
42	Virginia	$24,208	$16,000	8,470,020	58
43	Kansas	$25,771	$18,000	2,913,123	7
44	Nebraska	$24,374	$18,000	1,920,076	9
45	South Carolina	$20,235	$14,000	5,024,369	40
46	North Carolina	$20,292	$14,000	10,273,419	65
47	Mississippi	$22,835	$16,000	2,984,100	9
48	Maryland	$18,420	$12,000	6,052,177	46
49	Tennessee	$17,937	$12,000	6,715,984	42
50	South Dakota	$22,404	$16,000	869,666	2
51	District of Columbia	$22,303	$15,000	693,972	4

Highest paying states for garbage collectors

Rank	State	Avg. Garbage Collector Salary
1	Washington	$39,711
2	California	$42,121
3	Alaska	$43,551
4	Utah	$34,955
5	Oregon	$37,340
6	Nevada	$32,819
7	Wyoming	$36,982
8	Texas	$30,729
9	West Virginia	$30,106
10	Colorado	$33,104
11	Minnesota	$35,388
12	North Dakota	$33,471
13	Massachusetts	$34,611
14	Vermont	$35,173
15	Arizona	$30,500
16	Maine	$32,935
17	Florida	$27,256
18	New Mexico	$30,322
19	New Hampshire	$28,979
20	Wisconsin	$30,777
21	Idaho	$31,477
22	New York	$29,441
23	Indiana	$26,909
24	Michigan	$27,804
25	Oklahoma	$28,397
26	Connecticut	$28,182
27	Illinois	$29,346
28	Ohio	$27,225
29	Missouri	$26,365
30	Arkansas	$26,678
31	Alabama	$24,185
32	Pennsylvania	$26,212
33	Rhode Island	$23,472
34	New Jersey	$27,224
35	Louisiana	$23,818
36	Montana	$24,687
37	Delaware	$27,371
38	Kentucky	$23,752
39	Georgia	$22,439
40	Iowa	$25,846
41	Hawaii	$27,400
42	Virginia	$24,208
43	Kansas	$25,771
44	Nebraska	$24,374
45	South Carolina	$20,235
46	North Carolina	$20,292
47	Mississippi	$22,835
48	Maryland	$18,420
49	Tennessee	$17,937
50	South Dakota	$22,404
51	District of Columbia	$22,303

Garbage collector best states FAQs

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What is the worst state for garbage collectors?

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Best states for Garbage Collectors

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total garbage collector jobs:	58
Average annual salary:	$39,711
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$31,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$50,000
Location Quotient:	1.18

Best states for a garbage collector

10 best states for garbage collectors in 2025

1. Washington

2. California

3. Alaska

4. Utah

5. Oregon

6. Nevada

7. Wyoming

8. Texas

9. West Virginia

10. Colorado