Refuse collector demographics and statistics in the US
Refuse collector demographics research summary. Zippia estimates refuse collector demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our refuse collector estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about refuse collectors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 71,010 refuse collectors currently employed in the United States.
- 4.6% of all refuse collectors are women, while 95.4% are men.
- The average refuse collector age is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of refuse collectors is White (63.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (15.8%), Black or African American (12.7%) and Unknown (3.5%).
- In 2022, women earned 91% of what men earned.
- 4% of all refuse collectors are LGBT.
- Refuse collectors are 54% more likely to work at government companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Refuse collector demographics by:
Refuse collector gender statistics
4.6% of refuse collectors are women and 95.4% of refuse collectors are men.
- Male, 95.4%
- Female, 4.6%
Refuse collector gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 95.4% |
| Female | 4.6% |
Refuse collector gender pay gap
Women earn 91¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$31,310
Female income
$28,581
Refuse collector gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in refuse collector positions over time. Currently, 4.6% of refuse collectors are female.
Refuse collector gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 97.68% | 2.32% |
| 2011 | 97.16% | 2.84% |
| 2012 | 97.12% | 2.88% |
| 2013 | 95.73% | 4.27% |
| 2014 | 96.36% | 3.64% |
| 2015 | 96.72% | 3.28% |
| 2016 | 96.67% | 3.33% |
| 2017 | 97.46% | 2.54% |
| 2018 | 96.21% | 3.79% |
| 2019 | 96.52% | 3.48% |
| 2020 | 96.49% | 3.51% |
| 2021 | 95.40% | 4.60% |
Refuse collector related jobs gender ratio
We compared refuse collectors with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, dredge operator and tower crane operator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Gift Wrapper | 12% | 88% |
| Gift Packer | 18% | 82% |
| Pill Packer | 19% | 81% |
| Refuse Collector | 95% | 5% |
| Green Chain Operator | 99% | 1% |
| Tower Crane Operator | 99% | 1% |
| Dredge Operator | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Refuse collector demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among refuse collectors is White, which makes up 63.3% of all refuse collectors. Comparatively, 15.8% of refuse collectors are Hispanic or Latino and 12.7% of refuse collectors are Black or African American.
- White, 63.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 15.8%
- Black or African American, 12.7%
- Unknown, 3.5%
- Asian, 2.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9%
Refuse collector race
| Refuse collector race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 63.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 15.8% |
| Black or African American | 12.7% |
| Unknown | 3.5% |
| Asian | 2.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.9% |
Refuse collector race and ethnicity over time
See how refuse collector racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Refuse collector race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 64.58% | 15.80% | 2.14% | 14.25% |
| 2011 | 65.04% | 15.26% | 2.01% | 13.83% |
| 2012 | 62.91% | 15.51% | 1.75% | 16.22% |
| 2013 | 65.26% | 14.35% | 1.94% | 13.18% |
| 2014 | 64.65% | 14.84% | 3.07% | 13.17% |
| 2015 | 67.14% | 14.53% | 1.98% | 12.69% |
| 2016 | 64.82% | 13.80% | 2.06% | 13.47% |
| 2017 | 65.40% | 14.42% | 1.99% | 14.41% |
| 2018 | 67.50% | 12.09% | 2.13% | 13.47% |
| 2019 | 68.81% | 12.54% | 2.97% | 11.92% |
| 2020 | 64.06% | 13.95% | 2.71% | 13.61% |
| 2021 | 63.29% | 12.67% | 2.83% | 15.77% |
Refuse collector wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown refuse collectors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino refuse collectors have the lowest average salary at $30,627.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $31,806 |
| White | $31,487 |
| Black or African American | $31,452 |
| Asian | $31,192 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $30,627 |
Average refuse collector age
See how the average age of refuse collectors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Refuse collector age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 39 | |
| White | 44.5 | 50 |
| Black or African American | 41 | 36 |
| Asian | 43 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 49 |
Refuse collector age breakdown
The average age of refuse collectors is 40+ years years old, representing 57% of the refuse collector population.
Refuse collector age breakdown
| Refuse Collector Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 57% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 18% |
Refuse collector educational attainment
The most common degree for refuse collectors is high school diploma, with 52% of refuse collectors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are diploma degree at 15% and diploma degree at 12%.
- High School Diploma, 52%
- Diploma, 15%
- Associate, 12%
- Bachelor's, 12%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Refuse collectors by degree level
| Refuse collector degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 52% |
| Diploma | 15% |
| Associate | 12% |
| Bachelor's | 12% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Refuse collector jobs you might like
Refuse collector employment statistics
Most refuse collectors work for a government in the government industry.
Company size where refuse collectors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where refuse collectors work.
Refuse collector jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 23% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 37% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 22% |
| > 10,000 employees | 9% |
Refuse collector jobs by company type
Employees with the refuse collector job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most refuse collectors prefer to work at government companies over private companies.
Refuse collector jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 7% |
| Private | 36% |
| Government | 54% |
Refuse collector jobs by industry
The most common industries for refuse collectors are government, professional and utilities.
Refuse collector industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 50% |
| Professional | 10% |
| Utilities | 8% |
| Transportation | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Education | 3% |
| Energy | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
Refuse collector turnover and employment statistics
Refuse collector unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for refuse collectors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Refuse collector unemployment rate by year
| Year | Refuse collector unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 11.86% |
| 2011 | 13.02% |
| 2012 | 10.45% |
| 2013 | 9.55% |
| 2014 | 11.66% |
| 2015 | 7.84% |
| 2016 | 9.06% |
| 2017 | 8.84% |
| 2018 | 7.88% |
| 2019 | 6.60% |
| 2020 | 6.85% |
| 2021 | 6.69% |
Average refuse collector tenure
The average refuse collector stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 720 refuse collectors resumes in Zippia's database.
Refuse collector tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 22% |
| 1-2 years | 29% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 11% |
Refuse collector LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of refuse collectors that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Monorail Crane Operator | 1.94% | 30,037 |
| Skidder Operator | 3.85% | 42,263 |
| Refuse Collector | 4.14% | - |
| Cooker Cleaner | 4.59% | 47,014 |
| Package Handler UPS | 4.67% | 80,442 |
| Fancy Packer | 6.68% | 16,061 |
| Cotton Tipper | 10.43% | 1 |
Similar refuse collector jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Monorail Crane Operator | 1.94% | 30,037 |
| Skidder Operator | 3.85% | 42,263 |
| Cooker Cleaner | 4.59% | 47,014 |
| Package Handler UPS | 4.67% | 80,442 |
| Fancy Packer | 6.68% | 16,061 |
| Cotton Tipper | 10.43% | 1 |
Foreign languages spoken by refuse collectors
- Spanish, 66.7%
- Italian, 33.3%
Refuse collector languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 66.7% |
| Italian | 33.3% |
