Recycling technician vs recyclable materials sorter

The differences between recycling technicians and recyclable materials sorters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a recycling technician and a recyclable materials sorter. Additionally, a recycling technician has an average salary of $33,687, which is higher than the $28,030 average annual salary of a recyclable materials sorter.

The top three skills for a recycling technician include recyclable materials, pallets and pallet jack. The most important skills for a recyclable materials sorter are safety regulations, recycle, and aluminum cans.

Recycling technician vs recyclable materials sorter overview

	Recycling Technician	Recyclable Materials Sorter
Yearly salary	$33,687	$28,030
Hourly rate	$16.20	$13.48
Growth rate	1%	6%
Number of jobs	26,197	22,110
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 44%	High School Diploma, 49%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	12	12

Recycling technician vs recyclable materials sorter salary

Recycling technicians and recyclable materials sorters have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Recycling Technician	Recyclable Materials Sorter
Average salary	$33,687	$28,030
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $41,000	Between $22,000 And $35,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	-
Highest paying state	Nebraska	-
Best paying company	SF-Marin Food Bank	-
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	-

Differences between recycling technician and recyclable materials sorter education

There are a few differences between a recycling technician and a recyclable materials sorter in terms of educational background:

	Recycling Technician	Recyclable Materials Sorter
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 44%	High School Diploma, 49%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	Stanford University

Recycling technician vs recyclable materials sorter demographics

Here are the differences between recycling technicians' and recyclable materials sorters' demographics:

	Recycling Technician	Recyclable Materials Sorter
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 86.2% Female, 13.8%	Male, 75.1% Female, 24.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 6.6% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 21.0% Asian, 3.2% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.0%
LGBT Percentage	5%	4%

Differences between recycling technician and recyclable materials sorter duties and responsibilities

Recycling technician example responsibilities.

Handle hazardous materials according to OSHA standards.
Sort a variety of recycle materials such as concrete, drywall, plastics and wood into containers or bucket loaders.
Bale cardboard in baling machine.
Experience with torches, saws, shredders and balers.
Handle groundskeeper duties including mowing grass, removing weeds, and other landscaping.
Work independently, using judgment and discretion in making decisions that directly impact facility compliance.

Recyclable materials sorter example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to manage inventory.
Provide leadership need to instill a team-orient, customer experience, and driven team.
Process mail using automate mail processing equipment or manual methods of sortation and distribution.
Process mail using automate mail processing equipment or manual methods of sortation and distribution.

Recycling technician vs recyclable materials sorter skills

Common recycling technician skills

Recyclable Materials, 18%
Pallets, 13%
Pallet Jack, 10%
Routine Maintenance, 10%
Hazardous Waste, 9%
Troubleshoot, 8%

Common recyclable materials sorter skills

Safety Regulations, 31%
Recycle, 30%
Aluminum Cans, 9%
Power Lifts, 7%
Stainless Steel, 6%
Hazardous Materials, 6%

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Production and Manufacturing Industry
Recycling Technician
Recycling Technician vs Recyclable Materials Sorter

Updated January 8, 2025

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