How much do garbage men make?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which classifies garbage men under hand laborers and material movers, garbage men made a median wage of $32,930 per year in 2012. The BLS specifically refers to garbage men as refuse and recyclable material collectors.

However, hand laborers and material movers as a group made a median wage of $22,970 per year as of 2012, or $11.04 per hour. Garbage men and other people in the group normally do not need work experience or to meet specific education requirements. They do, however, need to be capable of doing what is often highly physical work.