Headline risk
3%
Very Low RiskRefuse and recyclable material collectors
United States AI Work Index tracks this occupation on the shared structural baseline and then layers on local demand resilience, wages, and confidence.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
Collect and dump refuse or recyclable materials from containers into truck. May drive truck.
Task evidence
100% weighted task match · 0% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 48,350
Employment 2024
147.9K
Projected Change (2024–34)
0.9%
Openings (2024–34)
16.9K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Overall employment of hand laborers and material movers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Inspect trucks prior to beginning routes to ensure safe operating condition. AI use: 0%
- 2. Dump refuse or recyclable materials at disposal sites. AI use: 0%
- 3. Refuel trucks or add other fluids, such as oil or brake fluid. AI use: 0%
- 4. Fill out defective equipment reports. AI use: 0%
- 5. Communicate with dispatchers concerning delays, unsafe sites, accidents, equipment breakdowns, or other maintenance problems. AI use: 0%
- 6. Drive trucks, following established routes, through residential streets or alleys or through business or industrial areas. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 40.7 · 127K employed
Under 25: 16% · 25–54: 65% · 55+: 18%
Related
No direct US role match is available yet for this occupation.
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Mapping quality
crosswalk_exact · employment series present
Narrative & sources
Hand laborers and material movers manually move freight, stock, or other materials.
Most hand laborers and material movers work full time. Because materials are shipped around the clock, some workers, especially those in warehousing, work overnight shifts.
There are usually no formal educational requirements to become a hand laborer or material mover. Employers typically require only that applicants be physically able to perform the work.
The median annual wage for hand laborers and material movers was $37,680 in May 2024.
Overall employment of hand laborers and material movers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Published limitations
This page shows the local country layer, not realised individual job outcomes. The global structural baseline is shared across countries; only the local demand and wage layer changes here.
Built from O*NET occupation descriptions, task statements, technology skills, work context, Job Zones, Anthropic task penetration, BLS OEWS wages, BLS projection tables, BLS ORS requirements, BLS OOH narrative content, BLS skills data, and BLS CPS occupation age tables.