SOC 53-7081 · Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA metro

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors Salary in Blacksburg, VA

The average salary for refuse and recyclable material collectors in Blacksburg, Virginia is $37,450 a year ($18.01 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $36,160: half of the 130 people in this job in the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 29% less than the U.S. average for this job ($52,820).

$37,450average per year

$18.01 / hourMedian $36,160Take-home ≈ $30,932

  • $26K10th
  • $32K25th
  • $36KMedian
  • $46K75th
  • $48K90th

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

130people in this job
-29%vs U.S. average
#9 of 9Virginia metros
93cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors pay range in Blacksburg

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $26,360 a year or less, while the top 10% make $48,380 or more. The middle half of refuse and recyclable material collectors in Blacksburg earn between $31,560 and $45,680.

  • $26K10th
  • $32K25th
  • $36KMedian
  • $46K75th
  • $48K90th

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

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$37,450$3,121$18.00
Median$36,160$3,013$17.38
Entry level (25th percentile)$31,560$2,630$15.17
Experienced (75th percentile)$45,680$3,807$21.96

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

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors pay in Blacksburg vs. Virginia and the U.S.

Refuse and recyclable material collectors in Blacksburg earn 19% less than the Virginia average ($46,100) and 29% less than the U.S. average ($52,820). At the median the gap is -27% against the U.S. median of $49,690.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Blacksburg$37,450$36,160$26,360$48,380130
Virginia$46,100$46,530$28,120$61,0404,330
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 Blacksburg

On the average salary of $37,450, a single filer in Blacksburg takes home about $30,932 a year, or $2,578 a month and $1,190 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).

Virginia paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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

Prices in the Blacksburg area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.7), so the average $37,450 buys what about $40,395 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Blacksburg ($48,120). A typical home costs $291,346, or 7.8 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $37,450 is worth in another city

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary in other Virginia cities

Blacksburg ranks 9th of 9 Virginia metro areas for this job; Virginia Beach pays the most ($48,330).

All Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salaries in Virginia

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

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Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary in Blacksburg: questions

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

$18.01 an hour on average, and $17.39 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $26,360 a year and the 25th percentile is $31,560, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $30,932 a year ($2,578 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $37,450.

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

The average here is 29% less 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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA (13980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.0%.
  • 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 (2025 rules).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.92, this job is 1.9 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

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