Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $42,000 | $20.19 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $62,370 | $29.98 |
| Mean (average) | $70,520 | $33.91 |
| 90th percentile | $114,550 | $55.07 |
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
Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 51 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $58,100 | $35,160 | $107,810 | 1,300 | 1.69 |
| Alaska | $94,630 | $65,550 | $132,450 | 60 | 0.53 |
| Arizona | $92,680 | $53,900 | $124,920 | 230 | 0.19 |
| Arkansas | $55,140 | $30,840 | $85,090 | 440 | 0.93 |
| California | $74,110 | $50,210 | $126,940 | 8,610 | 1.3 |
| Colorado | $69,740 | $52,050 | $118,720 | 620 | 0.59 |
| Connecticut | $89,140 | $64,080 | $127,410 | 940 | 1.52 |
| Delaware | $72,900 | $51,860 | $119,970 | 110 | 0.6 |
| Florida | $46,760 | $39,640 | $105,370 | 3,950 | 1.09 |
| Georgia | $55,430 | $41,670 | $96,430 | 1,970 | 1.11 |
| Hawaii | $67,210 | $45,200 | $134,950 | 80 | 0.35 |
| Idaho | $61,110 | $45,910 | $93,780 | 300 | 0.98 |
| Illinois | $80,720 | $55,190 | $121,720 | 1,350 | 0.61 |
| Indiana | $56,570 | $44,180 | $106,350 | 550 | 0.47 |
| Iowa | $66,860 | $50,460 | $100,700 | 210 | 0.38 |
| Kansas | $88,610 | $42,830 | $117,810 | 50 | 0.1 |
| Kentucky | $57,240 | $42,000 | $74,920 | 1,290 | 1.78 |
| Louisiana | $49,940 | $35,600 | $97,960 | 600 | 0.85 |
| Maine | $63,290 | $49,630 | $113,760 | 350 | 1.51 |
| Maryland | $66,900 | $44,690 | $124,590 | 560 | 0.56 |
| Massachusetts | $75,560 | $50,920 | $123,320 | 1,260 | 0.95 |
| Michigan | $63,440 | $38,420 | $116,230 | 1,080 | 0.68 |
| Minnesota | $79,000 | $54,160 | $116,690 | 1,150 | 1.07 |
| Mississippi | $41,860 | $30,960 | $86,330 | 710 | 1.69 |
| Missouri | $50,250 | $40,980 | $71,220 | 2,280 | 2.13 |
| Montana | $63,610 | $61,110 | $88,610 | 130 | 0.67 |
| Nebraska | $59,150 | $38,740 | $92,080 | 180 | 0.49 |
| Nevada | $75,500 | $52,000 | $117,670 | 280 | 0.49 |
| New Hampshire | $58,610 | $38,450 | $100,360 | 330 | 1.34 |
| New Jersey | $96,420 | $56,820 | $144,870 | 1,430 | 0.91 |
| New Mexico | $56,260 | $45,930 | $79,710 | 190 | 0.59 |
| New York | $72,610 | $51,850 | $128,320 | 3,550 | 1.01 |
| North Carolina | $61,950 | $46,410 | $105,340 | 1,300 | 0.72 |
| North Dakota | $72,230 | $45,780 | $108,890 | 60 | 0.36 |
| Ohio | $76,240 | $53,730 | $120,000 | 990 | 0.49 |
| Oklahoma | $52,480 | $35,990 | $115,920 | 240 | 0.38 |
| Oregon | $65,830 | $53,090 | $107,450 | 430 | 0.59 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,870 | $44,430 | $91,770 | 3,540 | 1.6 |
| Puerto Rico | $43,740 | $27,870 | $88,610 | 440 | 1.28 |
| Rhode Island | $69,870 | $54,330 | $113,760 | 270 | 1.46 |
| South Carolina | $61,110 | $45,740 | $112,260 | 280 | 0.34 |
| South Dakota | $63,790 | $50,110 | $90,180 | 120 | 0.7 |
| Tennessee | $51,630 | $40,330 | $90,000 | 1,850 | 1.55 |
| Texas | $58,200 | $41,450 | $115,810 | 3,980 | 0.78 |
| Utah | $49,940 | $40,330 | $70,800 | 3,470 | 5.49 |
| Vermont | $59,010 | $44,350 | $92,890 | 140 | 1.26 |
| Virginia | $59,610 | $42,760 | $98,740 | 1,800 | 1.2 |
| Washington | $72,850 | $56,140 | $122,390 | 770 | 0.59 |
| West Virginia | $50,730 | $34,150 | $78,190 | 290 | 1.13 |
| Wisconsin | $59,990 | $50,790 | $105,020 | 500 | 0.47 |
| Wyoming | $61,780 | $51,540 | $79,440 | 60 | 0.6 |
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 tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 4,400. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- 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 tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
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
- Accounting CIP 52.0301
- Taxation CIP 52.1601
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Send notices to taxpayers when accounts are delinquent.
- Confer with taxpayers or their representatives to discuss the issues, laws, and regulations involved in returns, and to resolve problems with returns.
- Notify taxpayers of any overpayment or underpayment, and either issue a refund or request further payment.
- Maintain records for each case, including contacts, telephone numbers, and actions taken.
- Contact taxpayers by mail or telephone to address discrepancies and to request supporting documentation.
- Answer questions from taxpayers and assist them in completing tax forms.
Technology skills
- Alteryx software (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- SAP software (in demand)
- Tax compliance property tax management software (in demand)
- Tax software (in demand)
- Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Intuit TurboTax (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Power BI (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- ADP Workforce Now
- Automated tax system software
- Document management system software
Transferable skills for career changers: Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Negotiation, Complex Problem Solving, Time Management.
Common job titles: City Tax Auditor, Collections Specialist, Revenue Agent, Revenue Collector, Revenue Officer, Revenue Specialist, Tax Collector, Tax Compliance Officer, Tax Examiner, Tax Examining Technician.
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 tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents make?
The national median annual wage for tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents was $62,370 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $42,000 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $114,550. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree 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 tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents a growing career?
BLS projects employment of tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents to change -1.0% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 4,400 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were New Jersey ($96,420), Alaska ($94,630), Arizona ($92,680). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.