Meet the garbagemen who make over $100,000


Being a high school dropout does not signal the end for everyone, especially Noel Molina, who dropped out in the 10th grade and went into a high-paying job — being a garbage worker.

CNN Money reports Molina made $112,000 last year and began working with the New York City waste management company Crown Container with a starting salary of $80,000. His co-worker Tony Sankar made $100,000 last year as a helper who rides on the back of the truck.

But not everyone makes big bucks in the waste management industry, CNN Money reports. The annual salary of a garbage truck driver in the United States is $40,000, which is higher than the average annual pay for high school graduates at $30,000.

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Trash workers receiving such good pay is not confined to only New York City Kathy Morris, says the waste management facility she runs in Iowa, has to raise wages to keep employees around.

"Not only has the demand for workers increased but (so have) the types of skills," she told CNN Money. Morris added her landfill operators make $50,000 a year.

Along with job security, Molina and Sankar also have full health care coverage and 401(k) retirement accounts, CNN Money added.

Read more at CNN Money.

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