Recycling and Reclamation Workers in North Carolina
Thinking about a career as a Recycling and Reclamation Workers in North Carolina? Below are the key facts. Manually move freight, stock, luggage, or other materials, or perform other general labor. Includes all manual laborers not elsewhere classified. Excludes “Construction Laborers” (47-2061) and “Helpers, Construction Trades” (47-3011 through 47-3019). Excludes “Material Moving Workers” (53-7011 through 53-7199) who use power equipment.
What do Recycling and Reclamation Workers Make in North Carolina?
The recycling and reclamation workers working in North Carolina, the typical annual salary is $36,080 per year (or about $17.34/hour).Pay can range from $28,650 at the 10th percentile to $47,370 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $28,650 | $13.77 |
| 25th percentile | $33,400 | $16.06 |
| Median (50th) | $36,080 | $17.34 |
| 75th percentile | $40,050 | $19.25 |
| 90th percentile | $47,370 | $22.77 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in North Carolina nationwide is 1.20, indicating that recycling and reclamation workers are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, recycling and reclamation workers earn a median of $61,426 per year ($29.53/hour), below the North Carolina median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 1,074,938 recycling and reclamation workers nationwide. In North Carolina alone, approximately 113,330 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 35,620 recycling and reclamation workers.
Top North Carolina Metros for Recycling and Reclamation Workers
The metro areas below employ the most recycling and reclamation workers in North Carolina.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 41,320 | $36,720 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 16,860 | $35,930 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 11,970 | $36,350 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | 6,540 | $37,890 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 4,980 | $36,450 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 4,160 | $36,420 |
| Wilmington, NC | 3,150 | $36,260 |
| Asheville, NC | 2,930 | $37,620 |
| Burlington, NC | 2,150 | $35,190 |
| Fayetteville, NC | 1,970 | $35,150 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | 1,430 | $35,890 |
| Greenville, NC | 1,090 | $35,920 |
| Goldsboro, NC | 880 | $34,480 |
| Jacksonville, NC | 690 | $32,080 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | 430 | $35,340 |
Top States for Recycling and Reclamation Workers Employment
These states have the highest employment of recycling and reclamation workers work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 382,740 |
| Texas | 224,960 |
| Illinois | 183,590 |
| Florida | 157,990 |
| Pennsylvania | 137,640 |
| Georgia | 135,950 |
| North Carolina | 113,330 |
| Tennessee | 111,240 |
| Ohio | 105,960 |
| New Jersey | 101,720 |
| Indiana | 97,350 |
| New York | 95,990 |
| Wisconsin | 74,510 |
| Arizona | 73,540 |
| Michigan | 68,080 |
| Kentucky | 58,120 |
| Minnesota | 56,030 |
| South Carolina | 54,530 |
| Nevada | 53,660 |
| Virginia | 53,180 |
Highest-Paying States for Recycling and Reclamation Workers
These states pay the most for recycling and reclamation workers.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $45,850 |
| Alaska | $45,720 |
| Minnesota | $45,440 |
| Colorado | $45,210 |
| District of Columbia | $45,140 |
| Massachusetts | $45,070 |
| North Dakota | $44,630 |
| Hawaii | $44,050 |
| New York | $43,660 |
| Iowa | $43,370 |
Skills
The most important recycling and reclamation workers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for recycling and reclamation workers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Common tasks include:
- Sort materials, such as metals, glass, wood, paper or plastics, into appropriate containers for recycling.
- Clean recycling yard by sweeping, raking, picking up broken glass and loose paper debris, or moving barrels and bins.
- Operate forklifts, pallet jacks, power lifts, or front-end loaders to load bales, bundles, or other heavy items onto trucks for shipping to smelters or other recycled materials processing facilities.
- Sort metals to separate high-grade metals, such as copper, brass, and aluminum, for recycling.
- Clean, inspect, or lubricate recyclable collection equipment or perform routine maintenance or minor repairs on recycling equipment, such as star gears, finger sorters, destoners, belts, and grinders.
- Collect and sort recyclable construction materials, such as concrete, drywall, plastics, or wood, into containers.
- Extract chemicals from discarded appliances, such as air conditioners or refrigerators, using specialized machinery, such as refrigerant recovery equipment.
- Deposit recoverable materials into chutes or place materials on conveyor belts.
- Operate balers to compress recyclable materials into bundles or bales.
- Clean materials, such as metals, according to recycling requirements.
- Record logs of recycled materials or waste chemicals removed from products.
- Operate processing equipment, such as fiber-sorters and grinders, to sort, crush, or grind recyclable materials.
Work Activities
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Getting Information
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Training and Teaching Others
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
- Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
Tools & Technology
Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel
Related Careers
Related occupations to recycling and reclamation workers include:
- Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
- Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners
- Helpers–Extraction Workers
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics
- Maintenance Workers, Machinery
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
Also Known As
Auto Dismantler, Bobcat Driver, Box Sorter, Computer Recycling Worker, Convenience Recycle Center Technician (Convenience Recycle Center Tech), Deconstruction and Decontamination Waste Operations Specialist (D and D Waste Operations Specialist), Household Hazardous Waste Recycling Worker, Materials Sorter, Non-Ferrous Material Handler, Pallet Sorter, Reclamation Worker, Recyclable Materials Sorter, Recycling Sorter, Recycling Technician, Recycling Worker.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 53-7062.04
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.