According to 2011 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average hourly wage of a garbage man in the United States was $16.55, representing an approximate annual salary of $34,420. Eighty percent of all garbage men reported hourly earnings ranging from $8.92 to $26.69. Half of garbage men earned between $11.45 and $20.52 per hour. The median of all hourly wages reported was $15.52.