Recycling and Reclamation Workers
Prepare and sort materials or products for recycling.
About the profession
Prepare and sort materials or products for recycling. Identify and remove hazardous substances. Dismantle components of products such as appliances.
How to Get Started
Take a personality test to see if Recycling and Reclamation Workers fits your profile
Career Match Test →Explore the Career Path section to see progression from junior to senior
Jump to Career Path →Start learning — check the Learning Path for free courses
Jump to Learning Path →Video
Occupation on screen: Recycling and Reclamation Workers (O*NET 53-7062.04). Closed captions in English and Spanish. CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration)
Personality Fit
Based on the Recycling and Reclamation Workers role, here are the RIASEC personality types that tend to thrive in this career. While these alignments are common, individual success depends on motivation, skill development, and finding the right work environment.
Enterprising
Leading, persuading, business
Social
Helping, teaching, working with people
Conventional
Organizing, detail-oriented, structured
Not sure if these types match you? Take the full RIASEC assessment (4 min) to discover your personality profile and see how it aligns with hundreds of careers.
Career Path
Your career progression roadmap with salary growth at each level
Career Ladder
Trainee Recycling and Reclamation Worker → Technician Recycling and Reclamation Worker → Senior Technician Recycling and Reclamation Worker → Lead Technician Recycling and Reclamation Worker
Where are you on this career path?
Click a level below to set your current position
Salary Growth
4
Levels
$50K
Top Salary
8+
Years
Learning Path
Skills you need to develop and courses to get there
🚀
Set your current level first
Go to the Career Path tab and select your current level to see your personalized learning plan.
Go to Career PathCareer levels
Timeline: 0-2 | Entry Level Base: $29,480 - $34,680/year With equity/bonuses: $32,428 - $41,616 Top markets (SF/NYC): $33,902 - $41,616 Execute core tasks using Operation and…
Skills used in this career
Click any skill to see how to learn it and what salary boost it gives
Day in Life
Junior vs Senior, daily schedule breakdown
9am, Clean recycling yard by sweeping, raking, picking up broken glass and loose paper debris, or moving barrels and bins.
Income Dynamics
Conservative and aggressive scenarios for 10–15 years
Year 1: Entry level $20,636 - $31,212 Year 2-3: Junior level $34,680 - $37,886 Year 4-6: Mid level $37,886 - $41,076 Year 7-10: Senior level $41,076 - $47,334 Year 10+:…
Is this for me?
15 questions, answer honestly
You find the craft of a Recycling and Reclamation Worker genuinely interesting, not just a paycheck You enjoy working with Operation and Control and Active Listening You…
💰 Pay for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
BLS OEWS, May 2023The federal survey does not count this job title on its own — it is counted under Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand (53-7062).
Half of U.S. workers in this occupation earn more than this, half earn less.
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Related Reading
Related Holland / RIASEC Types