How much do Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors make in Altoona, PA?

Percentile spread

For Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors, the published 10th percentile is $28,830 and the 90th percentile is $56,320. The difference is $27,490, which is 76.5% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $32,830 to the 75th at $43,960, covers $11,130.

The mean annual wage is $38,580, which sits above the median of $35,930. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Altoona, PA median is 27.7% lower than the national median of $49,690 for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors. In 2024 national prices the local median is $40,142, which is 19.2% lower than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 25.5% lower than the Pennsylvania median of $48,240.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Altoona, PA is 89.507, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $35,930 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors at $40,142 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

29 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors. Altoona, PA ranks 30th of 30 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• State College, PA is 37 miles away, with a median of $48,940 and employment of 80. That median is 36.2% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $50,578, against $40,142 here.
• Chambersburg, PA is 50 miles away, with a median of $59,380 and employment of 110. That median is 65.3% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $62,742, against $40,142 here.
• Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA is 67 miles away, with a median of $58,680 and employment of 140. That median is 63.3% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $59,483, against $40,142 here.

Employment share

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors accounts for 0.10% of wage-and-salary employment in Altoona, PA (60 of 58,650). Nationally the occupation is 0.09% of employment (147,240 of 155,495,730). The local share is 1.08 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.