Garbage collectors place trash from homes and businesses into specialized trucks and drive the garbage to a dump for disposal. The companies that hire garbage collectors in New Jersey are regulated by the State of New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection, Solid and Hazardous Waste Division. Individual garbage collectors are not regulated by the state. There are no minimum education or training requirements for garbage collectors in New Jersey.

Salaries

Based on the 2009 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics survey, the average salary for garbage collectors in New Jersey was $36,900 per year. The bottom 10 percent wage earned by garbage collectors annually in New Jersey was $23,160, while the top 10 percent was $54,510 annually. There were 2,900 garbage collectors employed in the state in 2009.

Salaries Across Municipalities

The average salary for garbage collectors varied by municipality in New Jersey. As of 2009, the average salary by location was Atlantic City-Hammonton at $45,110, Camden at $36,180, Edison-New Brunswick at $38,950, Newark-Union at $32,580, Ocean City at $31,110, Trenton-Ewing at $39,050 and Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton at $32,270.

State Comparison

The average salary for garbage collectors in New Jersey was higher than all but 11 other states. The states with higher average salaries for garbage collectors were New York at $48,740, Washington at $44,710, Alaska at $42,450, California at $41,030, Illinois at $39,140, Arizona at $39,100, Oregon at $38,840, Nevada at $37,390, Massachusetts at $37,100, Hawaii at $37,070 and Rhode Island at $36,910.

Public vs. Private Salaries

The average salary for public-sector New Jersey garbage collectors was similar to the average salary for their private-sector counterparts. Based on the 2009 Occupational Employment Statistics Survey, public-sector garbage collectors in New Jersey earned an average of $930 more per year than private-sector garbage collectors.