Salary
Average Salary: $60,366
Expected Lifetime Earnings: $2,520,160
Running a recycling plant is a lot of responsibility. And in exchange for assuming those responsibilities you'll be fairly well compensated—if you can stand the smell, that is. As of May 2010, the median salary for managers of waste management facilities was $90,790, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (source).
Now, that data is reporting the median for nationwide salaries—meaning there could be a lot of fluctuation in average pay once you factor in things like location and education level. All things considered, the standard salary is more like $60,000 (source).
On the bright side, you might not have trouble paying your student loans for a very simple reason—you might not have any. While a trade school certificate or a college diploma can help you get this job, it's not absolutely necessary. That said, plant managers in especially busy facilities will often have some combination of an advanced degree and experience overseeing a complex operation.