SOC 53-7081 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors — Lancaster
Lancaster, PA · 10 metro areas compared
In Lancaster, PA the median wage is $45,540.
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 Lancaster, PA.
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 Lancaster, PA the median wage is $45,540. That is 8.4% lower than the national median of $49,690. Pay ranges from under $30,880 at the tenth percentile to more than $65,640 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $35,460 to $63,480.
Employment stands at 300, or 1.2 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Philadelphia records the highest median at $59,730. Of the 433 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 323rd.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $30,880 | −37.9% |
| 25th | $35,460 | −28.6% |
| Median (50th) | $45,540 | −8.4% |
| 75th | $63,480 | +27.8% |
| 90th | $65,640 | +32.1% |
| Mean | $48,240 | −2.9% |
Other metro areas in Pennsylvania
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia | $59,730 | 2,610 | |
| 2 | Chambersburg | $59,380 | 110 | |
| 3 | Harrisburg | $58,680 | 140 | |
| 4 | Allentown | $51,610 | 480 | |
| 5 | Pittsburgh | $49,730 | 1,220 | |
| 6 | State College | $48,940 | 80 | |
| 7 | York | $47,040 | 150 | |
| 8 | Erie | $46,380 | 170 | |
| 9 | Scranton | $45,960 | 340 | |
| 10 | Reading | $38,760 | 210 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Lancaster sit close to the national average, so $45,540 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$45,540as reported by BLSLocal price level
98.3US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$46,328US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $45,540 a year, 8.4% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $30,880 to $65,640 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 300 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Philadelphia, at $59,730.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Lancaster, PA?
The median annual wage is $45,540, or $21.89 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 Lancaster, PA is 8.4% lower. 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 Lancaster, PA earns more than $65,640 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $30,880 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 Philadelphia, at $59,730 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 300 jobs in this occupation in Lancaster, PA. 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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