Materials Recovery Facilities — Average Employee Salary

The average employee in the materials recovery facilities industry earns $64,901 per year ($31.20/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.

$64,901
Avg Annual Pay
25,046
Total Employees
1,700
Total Establishments
15
Avg Employees/Business

What Do Materials Recovery Facilities Workers Earn?

At $64,901/year (equivalent to $31.20/hour for a full-time worker), materials recovery facilities wages are near the national average of ~$65,000.

The typical materials recovery facilities business employs 15 people. These are mid-sized operations where payroll is a significant but manageable expense.

Wages as a Percentage of Revenue

43.8%

For the average materials recovery facilities business generating $2.2M/year with 15 employees at $64,901 each, total payroll represents roughly 43.8% of revenue. Labor is a significant cost but leaves room for other expenses and profit.

What This Means for Business Owners

If you're starting or running a materials recovery facilitiesbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:

  • Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $84,371/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
  • Typical team size: 15 employees = ~$973,515/year in base payroll.
  • Hourly equivalent: $31.20/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
  • Revenue needed: With average revenue of $2.2M/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.

See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.

View full Materials Recovery Facilities revenue benchmarks →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do materials recovery facilities employees make?
The average materials recovery facilities employee earns $64,901 per year, which is equivalent to $31.20/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is below the national average of approximately $65,000.
How many people work in the materials recovery facilities industry?
The materials recovery facilities industry employs 25,046 workers across 1,700 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 15 employees.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).