SOC 53-7081 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors — Des Moines
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA · 6 metro areas compared
In Des Moines, IA the median wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors is $56,990 a year, which is 14.7% higher than the national figure of $49,690.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow more slowly than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +0.9%
- Openings per year
- 16,900
- Typical entry-level education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In Des Moines, IA the median wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors is $56,990 a year, which is 14.7% higher than the national figure of $49,690. Half of workers earn between $47,650 and $58,050. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $40,720 and the ninetieth at $74,080.
The area has 440 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 1.15 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Davenport leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $75,440. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 297th of 508 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $40,720 | −18.1% |
| 25th | $47,650 | −4.1% |
| Median (50th) | $56,990 | +14.7% |
| 75th | $58,050 | +16.8% |
| 90th | $74,080 | +49.1% |
| Mean | $55,030 | +10.7% |
Other metro areas in Iowa
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Davenport | $75,440 | 750 | |
| 2 | Iowa City | $56,810 | 60 | |
| 3 | Cedar Rapids | $50,820 | 140 | |
| 4 | Waterloo | $50,770 | 140 | |
| 5 | Sioux City | $47,830 | 70 | |
| 6 | Ames | $47,810 | 90 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Des Moines run 8.3% below the national average, so the median of $56,990 goes as far as $62,148 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 25.1% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$56,990as reported by BLSLocal price level
91.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$62,148US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $56,990 a year, 14.7% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $40,720 to $74,080 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 440 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Davenport, at $75,440.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Des Moines, IA?
The median annual wage is $56,990, or $27.40 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $49,690, so pay in Des Moines, IA is 14.7% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Des Moines, IA earns more than $74,080 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $40,720 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Davenport, at $75,440 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 440 jobs in this occupation in Des Moines, IA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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