Recycling and Reclamation Workers

Salaries vary for recycling and reclamation workers depending on their level of experience and the region in which the job is located. Positions in areas with a higher cost of living, such as California, Arizona, New York, and Washington, D.C., for example, tend to pay higher salaries to recycling and reclamation workers.

Recycling and reclamation workers earned average annual salaries of $36,362 in 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Salaries ranged from $21,000 to $73,000 or more.

Recycling and reclamation workers may receive benefits that include paid holiday, vacation, and sick time; health insurance, and a retirement plan.