Bill and account collectors salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,400 | $16.54 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $47,030 | $22.61 |
| Mean (average) | $49,060 | $23.59 |
| 90th percentile | $65,580 | $31.53 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Bill and account collectors pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 53 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $40,330 | $31,140 | $60,080 | 2,090 | 0.97 |
| Alaska | $60,810 | $34,840 | $73,590 | 310 | 0.93 |
| Arizona | $47,740 | $38,280 | $61,220 | 6,300 | 1.9 |
| Arkansas | $39,110 | $27,990 | $54,690 | 850 | 0.64 |
| California | $57,930 | $38,520 | $81,440 | 13,880 | 0.75 |
| Colorado | $50,090 | $37,380 | $66,930 | 1,670 | 0.57 |
| Connecticut | $57,930 | $40,540 | $77,180 | 900 | 0.52 |
| Delaware | $46,680 | $37,840 | $63,490 | 990 | 1.99 |
| District of Columbia | $62,230 | $44,990 | $91,480 | 240 | 0.34 |
| Florida | $46,410 | $35,560 | $61,390 | 13,180 | 1.3 |
| Georgia | $46,300 | $32,000 | $62,050 | 5,280 | 1.06 |
| Guam | $37,320 | $23,990 | $45,880 | 70 | 0.97 |
| Hawaii | $53,570 | $40,090 | $66,220 | 180 | 0.29 |
| Idaho | $41,880 | $34,030 | $58,930 | 510 | 0.58 |
| Illinois | $48,140 | $37,490 | $65,780 | 5,080 | 0.82 |
| Indiana | $45,240 | $34,970 | $57,980 | 2,690 | 0.82 |
| Iowa | $46,000 | $35,350 | $74,560 | 830 | 0.52 |
| Kansas | $45,760 | $30,650 | $75,950 | 1,350 | 0.92 |
| Kentucky | $48,330 | $36,110 | $64,790 | 1,740 | 0.85 |
| Louisiana | $39,130 | $28,970 | $55,690 | 1,690 | 0.85 |
| Maine | $48,890 | $41,550 | $59,450 | 410 | 0.63 |
| Maryland | $50,010 | $39,480 | $67,060 | 2,090 | 0.74 |
| Massachusetts | $59,800 | $45,990 | $75,560 | 2,510 | 0.68 |
| Michigan | $47,130 | $35,930 | $62,970 | 2,990 | 0.66 |
| Minnesota | $49,580 | $34,600 | $77,080 | 2,860 | 0.95 |
| Mississippi | $37,680 | $27,450 | $57,360 | 1,150 | 0.97 |
| Missouri | $41,760 | $28,600 | $63,000 | 3,770 | 1.26 |
| Montana | $45,420 | $37,870 | $60,540 | 640 | 1.22 |
| Nebraska | $43,210 | $33,440 | $56,290 | 730 | 0.69 |
| Nevada | $48,750 | $37,140 | $60,520 | 2,350 | 1.49 |
| New Hampshire | $44,450 | $37,170 | $65,210 | 1,120 | 1.6 |
| New Jersey | $52,510 | $39,530 | $79,380 | 3,310 | 0.76 |
| New Mexico | $46,560 | $31,970 | $61,100 | 440 | 0.49 |
| New York | $47,170 | $35,590 | $74,490 | 8,800 | 0.89 |
| North Carolina | $42,910 | $24,960 | $58,720 | 5,460 | 1.08 |
| North Dakota | $46,660 | $35,580 | $59,990 | 270 | 0.61 |
| Ohio | $46,230 | $30,830 | $62,200 | 6,620 | 1.17 |
| Oklahoma | $44,820 | $30,730 | $73,530 | 1,740 | 1 |
| Oregon | $50,880 | $39,120 | $65,130 | 830 | 0.42 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,660 | $35,520 | $64,720 | 6,680 | 1.08 |
| Puerto Rico | $25,570 | $21,840 | $35,690 | 2,850 | 2.98 |
| Rhode Island | $52,000 | $45,040 | $77,810 | 370 | 0.73 |
| South Carolina | $43,140 | $33,390 | $57,470 | 4,430 | 1.88 |
| South Dakota | $46,620 | $35,190 | $59,140 | 1,120 | 2.39 |
| Tennessee | $40,920 | $30,470 | $60,540 | 3,890 | 1.16 |
| Texas | $45,710 | $30,730 | $60,130 | 21,720 | 1.51 |
| Utah | $45,240 | $34,110 | $60,100 | 2,430 | 1.37 |
| Vermont | $57,630 | $48,780 | $74,720 | 80 | 0.27 |
| Virginia | $43,770 | $31,160 | $64,100 | 4,590 | 1.09 |
| Washington | $48,460 | $40,000 | $70,760 | 2,260 | 0.62 |
| West Virginia | $43,960 | $35,590 | $51,280 | 670 | 0.93 |
| Wisconsin | $49,090 | $36,250 | $65,130 | 2,570 | 0.85 |
| Wyoming | $42,110 | $37,430 | $52,940 | 180 | 0.61 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for bill and account collectors
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 11,200. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.3%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for bill and account collectors
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Banking and Financial Support Services CIP 52.0803
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Record information about financial status of customers and status of collection efforts.
- Locate and notify customers of delinquent accounts by mail, telephone, or personal visits to solicit payment.
- Locate and monitor overdue accounts, using computers and a variety of automated systems.
- Arrange for debt repayment or establish repayment schedules, based on customers' financial situations.
- Advise customers of necessary actions and strategies for debt repayment.
- Answer customer questions regarding problems with their accounts.
- Persuade customers to pay amounts due on credit accounts, damage claims, or nonpayable checks, or to return merchandise.
- Confer with customers by telephone or in person to determine reasons for overdue payments and to review the terms of sales, service, or credit contracts.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft Word (in demand)
- SAP software (in demand)
- Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- ADP Drive DMS for Accounting
- ADS Advantage
- Adtec Agency Manager
- Austin Logistics CallSelect
- CU Connect processing software
- Collection Data Systems CollectOne-Tiger
- Columbia Ultimate Archive
- Columbia Ultimate RPCS
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Persuasion, Negotiation, Service Orientation, Time Management, Coordination.
Common job titles: Account Representative, Accounts Receivable Specialist (AR Specialist), Collection Agent, Collection Specialist, Collector, Debt Collector, Patient Access Specialist, Patient Account Representative, Telephone Collector.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do bill and account collectors make?
The national median annual wage for bill and account collectors was $47,030 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $34,400 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $65,580. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do bill and account collectors need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is bill and account collectors a growing career?
BLS projects employment of bill and account collectors to change -10.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 11,200 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay bill and account collectors the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($62,230), Alaska ($60,810), Massachusetts ($59,800). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.