SOC 53-7081 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors — South Bend
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI · 5 metro areas compared
The median wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in South Bend, IN is $60,080 per year, 20.9% above the national median 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 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
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
The median wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in South Bend, IN is $60,080 per year, 20.9% above the national median of $49,690. Half of workers earn between $46,830 and $60,440. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $34,160 and the ninetieth at $67,280.
Employment stands at 100, or 0.8 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Muncie records the highest median at $60,940. Of the 387 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 168th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $34,160 | −31.3% |
| 25th | $46,830 | −5.8% |
| Median (50th) | $60,080 | +20.9% |
| 75th | $60,440 | +21.6% |
| 90th | $67,280 | +35.4% |
| Mean | $55,580 | +11.9% |
Other metro areas in Indiana
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muncie | $60,940 | 30 | |
| 2 | Indianapolis | $59,710 | 1,030 | |
| 3 | Fort Wayne | $58,650 | 170 | |
| 4 | Evansville | $57,750 | 120 | |
| 5 | Terre Haute | $57,010 | 80 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in South Bend run 7.1% below the national average, so the median of $60,080 goes as far as $64,672 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 30.2% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$60,080as reported by BLSLocal price level
92.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$64,672US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $60,080 a year, 20.9% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $34,160 to $67,280 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 100 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Muncie, at $60,940.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in South Bend, IN?
The median annual wage is $60,080, or $28.89 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 South Bend, IN is 20.9% 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 South Bend, IN earns more than $67,280 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $34,160 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 Muncie, at $60,940 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 100 jobs in this occupation in South Bend, IN. 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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