SOC 53-7081 · Fargo, ND-MN metro

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors Salary in Fargo, ND

The average salary for refuse and recyclable material collectors in Fargo, North Dakota is $55,440 a year ($26.66 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $60,840: half of the 100 people in this job in the Fargo, ND-MN metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 5% more than the U.S. average for this job ($52,820).

$55,440average per year

$26.66 / hourMedian $60,840Take-home ≈ $46,726

  • $35K10th
  • $47K25th
  • $61KMedian
  • $63K75th
  • $63K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

100people in this job
+5%vs U.S. average
#4 of 4North Dakota metros
91cost of living (U.S. = 100)
Advertisement

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors pay range in Fargo

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,320 a year or less, while the top 10% make $63,330 or more. The middle half of refuse and recyclable material collectors in Fargo earn between $47,150 and $63,330.

  • $35K10th
  • $47K25th
  • $61KMedian
  • $63K75th
  • $63K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$55,440$4,620$26.65
Median$60,840$5,070$29.25
Entry level (25th percentile)$47,150$3,929$22.67
Experienced (75th percentile)$63,330$5,278$30.45

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors pay in Fargo vs. North Dakota and the U.S.

Refuse and recyclable material collectors in Fargo earn about the same as the North Dakota average ($56,220) and 5% more than the U.S. average ($52,820). At the median the gap is +22% against the U.S. median of $49,690.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Fargo$55,440$60,840$35,320$63,330100
North Dakota$56,220$59,000$41,690$71,330360
United States$52,820$49,690$33,590$75,900147,240

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary after taxes in Fargo

On the average salary of $55,440, a single filer in Fargo takes home about $46,726 a year, or $3,894 a month and $1,797 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.

The Fargo, ND-MN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in ND$46,726$3,894
Working in MN$44,480$3,707

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

North Dakota paycheck calculator: try your own salary

Advertisement

Is Fargo a good place for refuse and recyclable material collectors? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Fargo area are 9% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 90.9), so the average $55,440 buys what about $61,010 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Fargo ($51,050). A typical home costs $327,854, or 5.9 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $55,440 is worth in another city

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary in other North Dakota cities

Fargo ranks 4th of 4 North Dakota metro areas for this job; Grand Forks pays the most ($58,450).

All Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salaries in North Dakota

Highest-paying cities for refuse and recyclable material collectors

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($88,030).

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary by city

Advertisement

Does this match what you are paid?

Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.

Share your pay anonymously

Reviewed before it counts. Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Fargo, ND.

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary in Fargo: questions

How much do refuse and recyclable material collectors make an hour in Fargo?

$26.66 an hour on average, and $29.25 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level refuse and recyclable material collectors salary in Fargo?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,320 a year and the 25th percentile is $47,150, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the refuse and recyclable material collectors take-home pay in Fargo?

About $46,726 a year ($3,894 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $55,440.

Do refuse and recyclable material collectors earn more in Fargo than elsewhere?

The average here is 5% more than the U.S. average for this job ($52,820).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 53-7081; area Fargo, ND-MN (22020). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.8%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.69, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.69).

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.