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Best states for a recycler
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for recyclers? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for recycler jobs.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for recyclers. We found that West Virginia is the best state in the nation for recyclers, and people in South Portland earn the most in the field.
In order to get you the best states for recyclers, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.We found that West Virginia is the best state for recycler jobs, whereas Alabama is the worst.
10 best states for recyclers in 2025
1. West Virginia
Total recycler jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $32,200 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 3.572. Ohio
Total recycler jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $33,841 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 1.063. Michigan
Total recycler jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $33,459 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 1.44. Iowa
Total recycler jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $31,425 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 2.255. Wisconsin
Total recycler jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $33,060 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 0.986. Vermont
Total recycler jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $33,182 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 3.547. North Dakota
Total recycler jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $33,174 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 08. Rhode Island
Total recycler jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $33,092 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 2.249. Illinois
Total recycler jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $32,075 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 2.2810. Nebraska
Total recycler jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $32,465 Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 0
Recycler jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a recycler
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a recycler
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | $32,200 | $21,000 | 1,815,857 | 2 |
| 2 | Ohio | $33,841 | $23,000 | 11,658,609 | 4 |
| 3 | Michigan | $33,459 | $24,000 | 9,962,311 | 4 |
| 4 | Iowa | $31,425 | $20,000 | 3,145,711 | 3 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $33,060 | $23,000 | 5,795,483 | 2 |
| 6 | Vermont | $33,182 | $27,000 | 623,657 | 1 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $33,174 | $23,000 | 755,393 | 0 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $33,092 | $26,000 | 1,059,639 | 1 |
| 9 | Illinois | $32,075 | $21,000 | 12,802,023 | 10 |
| 10 | Nebraska | $32,465 | $19,000 | 1,920,076 | 0 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $29,999 | $19,000 | 4,454,189 | 3 |
| 12 | Maine | $34,482 | $28,000 | 1,335,907 | 0 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $33,461 | $24,000 | 9,005,644 | 4 |
| 14 | Delaware | $31,892 | $22,000 | 961,939 | 1 |
| 15 | Nevada | $30,185 | $18,000 | 2,998,039 | 1 |
| 16 | South Dakota | $31,160 | $19,000 | 869,666 | 0 |
| 17 | Idaho | $30,708 | $18,000 | 1,716,943 | 0 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $30,062 | $21,000 | 12,805,537 | 6 |
| 19 | Indiana | $30,244 | $20,000 | 6,666,818 | 2 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | $34,201 | $27,000 | 6,859,819 | 0 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $33,181 | $27,000 | 1,342,795 | 0 |
| 22 | Montana | $30,395 | $18,000 | 1,050,493 | 0 |
| 23 | Connecticut | $33,029 | $25,000 | 3,588,184 | 0 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $30,291 | $21,000 | 5,576,606 | 3 |
| 25 | Colorado | $31,214 | $18,000 | 5,607,154 | 0 |
| 26 | Missouri | $30,113 | $18,000 | 6,113,532 | 1 |
| 27 | Utah | $30,095 | $17,000 | 3,101,833 | 0 |
| 28 | Washington | $30,804 | $18,000 | 7,405,743 | 0 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $29,609 | $20,000 | 2,984,100 | 0 |
| 30 | Arizona | $29,830 | $18,000 | 7,016,270 | 0 |
| 31 | Virginia | $30,096 | $21,000 | 8,470,020 | 5 |
| 32 | Maryland | $32,140 | $22,000 | 6,052,177 | 0 |
| 33 | California | $31,227 | $19,000 | 39,536,653 | 6 |
| 34 | Kansas | $28,864 | $17,000 | 2,913,123 | 0 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $27,736 | $17,000 | 2,088,070 | 1 |
| 36 | New York | $30,814 | $22,000 | 19,849,399 | 5 |
| 37 | Oregon | $27,655 | $16,000 | 4,142,776 | 5 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $26,832 | $18,000 | 5,024,369 | 4 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $33,505 | $29,000 | 1,427,538 | 0 |
| 40 | District of Columbia | $30,663 | $21,000 | 693,972 | 0 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $25,551 | $16,000 | 6,715,984 | 4 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $26,448 | $17,000 | 3,004,279 | 0 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $26,531 | $15,000 | 579,315 | 0 |
| 44 | Alaska | $26,499 | $22,000 | 739,795 | 0 |
| 45 | Georgia | $24,830 | $17,000 | 10,429,379 | 9 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $26,510 | $18,000 | 4,684,333 | 0 |
| 47 | Texas | $26,710 | $17,000 | 28,304,596 | 5 |
| 48 | Florida | $24,842 | $18,000 | 20,984,400 | 8 |
| 49 | North Carolina | $24,606 | $17,000 | 10,273,419 | 4 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $25,081 | $15,000 | 3,930,864 | 0 |
| 51 | Alabama | $23,758 | $16,000 | 4,874,747 | 1 |
Highest paying states for recyclers
| Rank | State | Avg. Recycler Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | $32,200 |
| 2 | Ohio | $33,841 |
| 3 | Michigan | $33,459 |
| 4 | Iowa | $31,425 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $33,060 |
| 6 | Vermont | $33,182 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $33,174 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $33,092 |
| 9 | Illinois | $32,075 |
| 10 | Nebraska | $32,465 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $29,999 |
| 12 | Maine | $34,482 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $33,461 |
| 14 | Delaware | $31,892 |
| 15 | Nevada | $30,185 |
| 16 | South Dakota | $31,160 |
| 17 | Idaho | $30,708 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $30,062 |
| 19 | Indiana | $30,244 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | $34,201 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $33,181 |
| 22 | Montana | $30,395 |
| 23 | Connecticut | $33,029 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $30,291 |
| 25 | Colorado | $31,214 |
| 26 | Missouri | $30,113 |
| 27 | Utah | $30,095 |
| 28 | Washington | $30,804 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $29,609 |
| 30 | Arizona | $29,830 |
| 31 | Virginia | $30,096 |
| 32 | Maryland | $32,140 |
| 33 | California | $31,227 |
| 34 | Kansas | $28,864 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $27,736 |
| 36 | New York | $30,814 |
| 37 | Oregon | $27,655 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $26,832 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $33,505 |
| 40 | District of Columbia | $30,663 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $25,551 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $26,448 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $26,531 |
| 44 | Alaska | $26,499 |
| 45 | Georgia | $24,830 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $26,510 |
| 47 | Texas | $26,710 |
| 48 | Florida | $24,842 |
| 49 | North Carolina | $24,606 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $25,081 |
| 51 | Alabama | $23,758 |
Recycler best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025