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Best states for a garbage truck driver
Quoted expert
Martin Garsee
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It seems like garbage truck drivers are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for garbage truck drivers aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. We wanted to look at the best states for garbage truck drivers -- where there are plenty of garbage truck driver jobs to go around and garbage truck drivers get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
Montana is the best state for jobs for garbage truck drivers, and Florida is the worst. The most common pay in Montana is $45,511, while the median pay in Florida is $24,435.Montana is the best state, and Anchorage is the city with the highest pay for garbage truck drivers.
10 best states for garbage truck drivers in 2025
1. Montana
Total garbage truck driver jobs: 698 Average annual salary: $45,511 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 0.6
2. Michigan
Total garbage truck driver jobs: 7,349 Average annual salary: $40,034 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
3. Minnesota
Total garbage truck driver jobs: 5,302 Average annual salary: $43,079 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 0.79
4. Wyoming
Total garbage truck driver jobs: 548 Average annual salary: $41,240 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location Quotient: 0.9
5. Nevada
Total garbage truck driver jobs: 1,503 Average annual salary: $41,146 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 0.71
6. North Dakota
Total garbage truck driver jobs: 357 Average annual salary: $43,763 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 0.38
7. Alaska
Total garbage truck driver jobs: 86 Average annual salary: $48,899 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 0.1
8. Kansas
Total garbage truck driver jobs: 5,544 Average annual salary: $37,316 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Location Quotient: 1.81
9. New York
Total garbage truck driver jobs: 9,067 Average annual salary: $43,813 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Location Quotient: 0.7
10. Ohio
Total garbage truck driver jobs: 22,248 Average annual salary: $36,282 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 2.15
Garbage truck driver jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a garbage truck driver
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a garbage truck driver
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | $45,511 | $36,000 | 1,050,493 | 698 |
| 2 | Michigan | $40,034 | $30,000 | 9,962,311 | 7,349 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $43,079 | $33,000 | 5,576,606 | 5,302 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $41,240 | $32,000 | 579,315 | 548 |
| 5 | Nevada | $41,146 | $31,000 | 2,998,039 | 1,503 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $43,763 | $34,000 | 755,393 | 357 |
| 7 | Alaska | $48,899 | $43,000 | 739,795 | 86 |
| 8 | Kansas | $37,316 | $28,000 | 2,913,123 | 5,544 |
| 9 | New York | $43,813 | $31,000 | 19,849,399 | 9,067 |
| 10 | Ohio | $36,282 | $26,000 | 11,658,609 | 22,248 |
| 11 | Arizona | $39,601 | $29,000 | 7,016,270 | 4,884 |
| 12 | Nebraska | $37,459 | $28,000 | 1,920,076 | 2,829 |
| 13 | Iowa | $36,781 | $28,000 | 3,145,711 | 5,410 |
| 14 | Washington | $42,427 | $34,000 | 7,405,743 | 3,240 |
| 15 | Utah | $38,998 | $30,000 | 3,101,833 | 1,804 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | $36,601 | $27,000 | 3,930,864 | 4,916 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $36,842 | $26,000 | 12,805,537 | 13,420 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $45,998 | $37,000 | 1,427,538 | 64 |
| 19 | California | $39,833 | $30,000 | 39,536,653 | 30,980 |
| 20 | South Dakota | $37,865 | $29,000 | 869,666 | 530 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $40,635 | $30,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,350 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $36,683 | $28,000 | 5,795,483 | 5,643 |
| 23 | Indiana | $35,410 | $26,000 | 6,666,818 | 10,621 |
| 24 | Delaware | $36,870 | $26,000 | 961,939 | 1,848 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $38,049 | $28,000 | 1,059,639 | 624 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $38,694 | $28,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,618 |
| 27 | Vermont | $37,081 | $29,000 | 623,657 | 511 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $35,539 | $25,000 | 10,273,419 | 9,469 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $32,533 | $23,000 | 1,815,857 | 4,136 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $37,262 | $28,000 | 1,342,795 | 668 |
| 31 | Colorado | $37,429 | $29,000 | 5,607,154 | 3,310 |
| 32 | Idaho | $35,671 | $28,000 | 1,716,943 | 1,399 |
| 33 | Oregon | $37,768 | $29,000 | 4,142,776 | 2,534 |
| 34 | New Jersey | $38,582 | $27,000 | 9,005,644 | 3,254 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $34,939 | $26,000 | 2,088,070 | 2,164 |
| 36 | Virginia | $36,390 | $25,000 | 8,470,020 | 8,883 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $32,734 | $24,000 | 6,715,984 | 7,424 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $32,045 | $23,000 | 2,984,100 | 3,817 |
| 39 | Texas | $34,932 | $25,000 | 28,304,596 | 14,952 |
| 40 | Illinois | $33,021 | $25,000 | 12,802,023 | 20,492 |
| 41 | District of Columbia | $37,988 | $27,000 | 693,972 | 235 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $30,725 | $23,000 | 3,004,279 | 4,117 |
| 43 | Maine | $34,791 | $27,000 | 1,335,907 | 683 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $31,400 | $23,000 | 4,684,333 | 4,962 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $30,212 | $21,000 | 5,024,369 | 7,982 |
| 46 | Maryland | $33,938 | $24,000 | 6,052,177 | 5,983 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $28,587 | $21,000 | 4,454,189 | 7,073 |
| 48 | Alabama | $30,146 | $22,000 | 4,874,747 | 5,101 |
| 49 | Missouri | $29,801 | $22,000 | 6,113,532 | 8,638 |
| 50 | Georgia | $29,369 | $21,000 | 10,429,379 | 12,523 |
| 51 | Florida | $24,435 | $17,000 | 20,984,400 | 5,868 |
Highest paying states for garbage truck drivers
| Rank | State | Avg. Garbage Truck Driver Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | $45,511 |
| 2 | Michigan | $40,034 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $43,079 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $41,240 |
| 5 | Nevada | $41,146 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $43,763 |
| 7 | Alaska | $48,899 |
| 8 | Kansas | $37,316 |
| 9 | New York | $43,813 |
| 10 | Ohio | $36,282 |
| 11 | Arizona | $39,601 |
| 12 | Nebraska | $37,459 |
| 13 | Iowa | $36,781 |
| 14 | Washington | $42,427 |
| 15 | Utah | $38,998 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | $36,601 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $36,842 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $45,998 |
| 19 | California | $39,833 |
| 20 | South Dakota | $37,865 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $40,635 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $36,683 |
| 23 | Indiana | $35,410 |
| 24 | Delaware | $36,870 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $38,049 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $38,694 |
| 27 | Vermont | $37,081 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $35,539 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $32,533 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $37,262 |
| 31 | Colorado | $37,429 |
| 32 | Idaho | $35,671 |
| 33 | Oregon | $37,768 |
| 34 | New Jersey | $38,582 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $34,939 |
| 36 | Virginia | $36,390 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $32,734 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $32,045 |
| 39 | Texas | $34,932 |
| 40 | Illinois | $33,021 |
| 41 | District of Columbia | $37,988 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $30,725 |
| 43 | Maine | $34,791 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $31,400 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $30,212 |
| 46 | Maryland | $33,938 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $28,587 |
| 48 | Alabama | $30,146 |
| 49 | Missouri | $29,801 |
| 50 | Georgia | $29,369 |
| 51 | Florida | $24,435 |
Expert opinions on the best states for garbage truck drivers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for garbage truck drivers to find work opportunities?
Martin Garsee
Executive Director, NAPFTDS
Many over the road trucking companies will hire you from any location in the 48 contiguous states. Companies that have more set routes in a region of the country, will only hire in that region. Most companies, on their website, have a hiring area located. Where there is a dense population, there are more jobs available. Where there is a port, there are jobs that have to get the goods from the port to a warehouse for distribution, which may be local or hundreds of miles away. Where there is a concentration of manufacturing, raw material has to be brought in and completed products have to be shipped to their final destination.
In large cities there are a lot of delivery jobs to retail outlets.
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Updated January 8, 2025