Trash collector demographics and statistics in the US
Trash collector demographics research summary. Zippia estimates trash collector demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our trash 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 trash collectors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 63,014 trash collectors currently employed in the United States.
- 6.9% of all trash collectors are women, while 93.1% are men.
- The average trash collector age is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of trash collectors is White (61.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.5%), Black or African American (13.1%) and Unknown (3.5%).
- In 2022, women earned 91% of what men earned.
- 4% of all trash collectors are LGBT.
- Trash collectors are 60% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Trash collector demographics by:
Trash collector gender statistics
6.9% of trash collectors are women and 93.1% of trash collectors are men.
- Male, 93.1%
- Female, 6.9%
Trash collector gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 93.1% |
| Female | 6.9% |
Trash collector gender pay gap
Women earn 91¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$30,526
Female income
$27,884
Trash collector gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in trash collector positions over time. Currently, 6.9% of trash collectors are female.
Trash collector gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 96.47% | 3.53% |
| 2011 | 95.70% | 4.30% |
| 2012 | 95.65% | 4.35% |
| 2013 | 93.59% | 6.41% |
| 2014 | 94.52% | 5.48% |
| 2015 | 95.04% | 4.96% |
| 2016 | 94.97% | 5.03% |
| 2017 | 96.15% | 3.85% |
| 2018 | 94.29% | 5.71% |
| 2019 | 94.74% | 5.26% |
| 2020 | 94.71% | 5.29% |
| 2021 | 93.10% | 6.90% |
Trash collector related jobs gender ratio
We compared trash 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% |
| Trash Collector | 93% | 7% |
| 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%
Trash collector demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among trash collectors is White, which makes up 61.0% of all trash collectors. Comparatively, 17.5% of trash collectors are Hispanic or Latino and 13.1% of trash collectors are Black or African American.
- White, 61.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.5%
- Black or African American, 13.1%
- Unknown, 3.5%
- Asian, 2.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.0%
Trash collector race
| Trash collector race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 61.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.5% |
| Black or African American | 13.1% |
| Unknown | 3.5% |
| Asian | 2.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 2.0% |
Trash collector race and ethnicity over time
See how trash collector racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Trash collector race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 62.34% | 16.24% | 2.16% | 15.98% |
| 2011 | 62.80% | 15.70% | 2.02% | 15.56% |
| 2012 | 60.67% | 15.95% | 1.76% | 17.95% |
| 2013 | 63.02% | 14.80% | 1.96% | 14.91% |
| 2014 | 62.41% | 15.28% | 3.08% | 14.90% |
| 2015 | 64.90% | 14.98% | 2.00% | 14.42% |
| 2016 | 62.58% | 14.25% | 2.07% | 15.20% |
| 2017 | 63.16% | 14.86% | 2.01% | 16.14% |
| 2018 | 65.26% | 12.54% | 2.15% | 15.20% |
| 2019 | 66.57% | 12.98% | 2.99% | 13.65% |
| 2020 | 61.82% | 14.40% | 2.72% | 15.34% |
| 2021 | 61.05% | 13.11% | 2.85% | 17.50% |
Trash collector wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown trash collectors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino trash collectors have the lowest average salary at $29,865.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $31,005 |
| White | $30,697 |
| Black or African American | $30,663 |
| Asian | $30,412 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $29,865 |
Average trash collector age
See how the average age of trash collectors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Trash 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 |
Trash collector age breakdown
The average age of trash collectors is 40+ years years old, representing 57% of the trash collector population.
Trash collector age breakdown
| Trash Collector Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 57% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 18% |
Trash collector educational attainment
The most common degree for trash collectors is high school diploma, with 65% of trash collectors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are diploma degree at 15% and diploma degree at 7%.
- High School Diploma, 65%
- Diploma, 15%
- Associate, 7%
- Bachelor's, 7%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Trash collectors by degree level
| Trash collector degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 65% |
| Diploma | 15% |
| Associate | 7% |
| Bachelor's | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Trash collector jobs you might like
Trash collector employment statistics
Most trash collectors work for a private in the government industry.
Company size where trash collectors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where trash collectors work.
Trash collector jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 13% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 19% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 25% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 24% |
| > 10,000 employees | 11% |
Trash collector jobs by company type
Employees with the trash collector job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most trash collectors prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Trash collector jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 5% |
| Public | 11% |
| Private | 60% |
| Government | 24% |
Trash collector jobs by industry
The most common industries for trash collectors are government, manufacturing and utilities.
Trash collector industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 23% |
| Manufacturing | 13% |
| Utilities | 9% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Health Care | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 6% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Education | 5% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Automotive | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Trash collector turnover and employment statistics
Trash collector unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for trash collectors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Trash collector unemployment rate by year
| Year | Trash 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 trash collector tenure
The average trash collector stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,158 trash collectors resumes in Zippia's database.
Trash collector tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 44% |
| 1-2 years | 29% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 10% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 3% |
Trash collector LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of trash 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Scrap Crane Operator | 1.94% | 30,055 |
| Shipping Operator | 3.85% | 75,710 |
| Trash Collector | 4.14% | - |
| Rotor Plate Washer | 4.59% | 34,484 |
| Rejector | 4.67% | 189 |
| Cloth Packer | 6.68% | 16,114 |
| Shuttle Hand | 10.43% | 8,127 |
Similar trash collector jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Scrap Crane Operator | 1.94% | 30,055 |
| Shipping Operator | 3.85% | 75,710 |
| Rotor Plate Washer | 4.59% | 34,484 |
| Rejector | 4.67% | 189 |
| Cloth Packer | 6.68% | 16,114 |
| Shuttle Hand | 10.43% | 8,127 |
Foreign languages spoken by trash collectors
The most common foreign language among trash collectors is Spanish at 80.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Mandarin at 10.0% and Carrier is the third-most popular at 10.0%.
- Spanish, 80.0%
- Mandarin, 10.0%
- Carrier, 10.0%
Trash collector languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 80.0% |
| Mandarin | 10.0% |
| Carrier | 10.0% |
