Bill and Account Collectors
Bill and Account Collectors (SOC 43-3011) earn a median $47,030 a year ($22.61 an hour) in the United States, with 158,830 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What bill and account collectors do
Bill and account collectors pursue payment on overdue accounts, including credit accounts, damage claims, and checks that could not be paid. They locate and notify the customer by mail, telephone, or personal visit, using computers and automated systems to find and monitor overdue accounts. The collector asks why the payment is late, reviews the terms of the sale, service, or credit contract, and explains what the customer needs to do. Where the customer's finances allow, the collector arranges a repayment schedule. Some collectors persuade customers to return merchandise instead of paying. Every contact is recorded, along with the status of the account. When a customer does not respond, the collector prepares statements for the credit department, and in some cases starts repossession proceedings or a service disconnection. Billing and posting clerks, who prepare invoices, and loan and credit clerks, who handle approval of new credit, do different work.
Typical entry: O*NET survey respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the education level for this occupation.
Also called: Account Receivable Associate, Account Representative, Account Service Representative, Accounts Collector, Accounts Receivable Specialist (AR Specialist).
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.54 | $18.76 | $22.61 | $27.28 | $31.53 | $23.59 | 158,830 |
| Annual | $34,400 | $39,010 | $47,030 | $56,740 | $65,580 | $49,060 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where bill and account collectors earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $21.63 | $27.96 | $29.92 | $40.86 | $43.98 | $33.54 | 240 | 0.35 | 0.34 |
| Annual | $44,990 | $58,160 | $62,230 | $84,990 | $91,480 | $69,760 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $16.75 | $23.38 | $29.24 | $30.51 | $35.38 | $27.67 | 310 | 0.95 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $34,840 | $48,630 | $60,810 | $63,450 | $73,590 | $57,550 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $22.11 | $24.42 | $28.75 | $30.64 | $36.33 | $28.71 | 2,510 | 0.69 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $45,990 | $50,780 | $59,800 | $63,720 | $75,560 | $59,710 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $18.52 | $22.66 | $27.85 | $33.58 | $39.16 | $28.65 | 13,880 | 0.76 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $38,520 | $47,130 | $57,930 | $69,840 | $81,440 | $59,590 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $19.49 | $23.08 | $27.85 | $31.17 | $37.10 | $28.19 | 900 | 0.53 | 0.52 |
| Annual | $40,540 | $48,010 | $57,930 | $64,840 | $77,180 | $58,640 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $14.78 | $18.04 | $21.97 | $25.28 | $28.91 | $22.20 | 21,720 | 1.54 | 1.51 |
| Annual | $30,730 | $37,520 | $45,710 | $52,580 | $60,130 | $46,170 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $18.52 | $22.66 | $27.85 | $33.58 | $39.16 | $28.65 | 13,880 | 0.76 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $38,520 | $47,130 | $57,930 | $69,840 | $81,440 | $59,590 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.10 | $18.89 | $22.31 | $25.18 | $29.51 | $23.04 | 13,180 | 1.33 | 1.30 |
| Annual | $35,560 | $39,280 | $46,410 | $52,380 | $61,390 | $47,920 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $17.11 | $18.89 | $22.68 | $28.62 | $35.81 | $24.95 | 8,800 | 0.91 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $35,590 | $39,290 | $47,170 | $59,530 | $74,490 | $51,890 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $17.08 | $18.96 | $22.43 | $26.99 | $31.11 | $23.57 | 6,680 | 1.10 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $35,520 | $39,440 | $46,660 | $56,150 | $64,720 | $49,020 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $27.29 | $30.25 | $37.19 | $44.11 | $47.38 | $37.59 | 660 | 0.58 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $56,760 | $62,930 | $77,360 | $91,750 | $98,540 | $78,180 | ||||
| Napa, CA | Hourly | $29.26 | $37.09 | $37.10 | $37.10 | $37.10 | $35.23 | 80 | 1.03 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $60,860 | $77,160 | $77,160 | $77,170 | $77,170 | $73,280 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $21.43 | $27.19 | $34.82 | $41.83 | $50.36 | $34.96 | 1,450 | 0.61 | 0.60 |
| Annual | $44,580 | $56,560 | $72,430 | $87,000 | $104,740 | $72,710 | ||||
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | Hourly | $23.40 | $30.95 | $31.24 | $38.26 | $38.26 | $33.13 | 80 | 0.64 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $48,680 | $64,380 | $64,970 | $79,580 | $79,580 | $68,910 | ||||
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | Hourly | $22.50 | $24.19 | $30.03 | $35.35 | $38.69 | $29.92 | 60 | 0.74 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $46,800 | $50,310 | $62,460 | $73,520 | $80,470 | $62,230 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $17.10 | $20.30 | $22.97 | $26.83 | $29.16 | $23.21 | 8,950 | 2.21 | 2.16 |
| Annual | $35,570 | $42,220 | $47,790 | $55,800 | $60,650 | $48,270 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $18.39 | $22.56 | $27.62 | $31.08 | $37.48 | $27.63 | 6,650 | 1.06 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $38,250 | $46,920 | $57,440 | $64,650 | $77,960 | $57,460 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $19.51 | $22.10 | $26.14 | $32.78 | $39.87 | $28.10 | 6,210 | 0.66 | 0.64 |
| Annual | $40,580 | $45,960 | $54,370 | $68,180 | $82,940 | $58,450 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $18.44 | $20.84 | $22.95 | $26.90 | $29.81 | $24.03 | 5,140 | 2.17 | 2.12 |
| Annual | $38,360 | $43,350 | $47,740 | $55,950 | $62,010 | $49,990 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $14.78 | $18.25 | $21.48 | $24.59 | $28.74 | $21.98 | 4,660 | 1.42 | 1.39 |
| Annual | $30,730 | $37,950 | $44,670 | $51,150 | $59,770 | $45,720 | ||||
Top industries employing bill and account collectors
Business Support Services employ 25.2% of bill and account collectors nationally (40,020 jobs) at a median $38,020 a year ($18.28 an hour), followed by Nondepository Credit Intermediation (11.2%) and Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (5221 and 5223 only) (9.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Support Services NAICS 561400 | 40,020 | 25.2% | $38,020 | $18.28 |
| Nondepository Credit Intermediation NAICS 522200 | 17,750 | 11.2% | $47,620 | $22.89 |
| Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (5221 and 5223 only) NAICS 5220A1 | 15,450 | 9.7% | $51,120 | $24.58 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 11,510 | 7.2% | $50,340 | $24.20 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 6,970 | 4.4% | $48,800 | $23.46 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (158,830). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $37,700 for bill and account collectors in May 2021 and $47,030 in May 2025, with employment of 212,900 and 158,830.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $37,700 | $18.13 | 212,900 |
| May 2022 | $39,470 | $18.98 | 202,840 |
| May 2023 | $44,250 | $21.27 | 190,910 |
| May 2024 | $46,040 | $22.14 | 165,020 |
| May 2025 | $47,030 | $22.61 | 158,830 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $29.92 | $62,230 | $44,990 | $91,480 | 240 | 0.35 | 0.34 |
| 2 | Alaska profile | $29.24 | $60,810 | $34,840 | $73,590 | 310 | 0.95 | 0.93 |
| 3 | Massachusetts profile | $28.75 | $59,800 | $45,990 | $75,560 | 2,510 | 0.69 | 0.68 |
| 4 | California profile | $27.85 | $57,930 | $38,520 | $81,440 | 13,880 | 0.76 | 0.75 |
| 5 | Connecticut profile | $27.85 | $57,930 | $40,540 | $77,180 | 900 | 0.53 | 0.52 |
| 6 | Vermont profile | $27.71 | $57,630 | $48,780 | $74,720 | 80 | 0.27 | 0.27 |
| 7 | Hawaii profile | $25.76 | $53,570 | $40,090 | $66,220 | 180 | 0.29 | 0.29 |
| 8 | New Jersey profile | $25.25 | $52,510 | $39,530 | $79,380 | 3,310 | 0.77 | 0.76 |
| 9 | Rhode Island profile | $25.00 | $52,000 | $45,040 | $77,810 | 370 | 0.74 | 0.73 |
| 10 | Oregon profile | $24.46 | $50,880 | $39,120 | $65,130 | 830 | 0.42 | 0.42 |
| 11 | Colorado profile | $24.08 | $50,090 | $37,380 | $66,930 | 1,670 | 0.58 | 0.57 |
| 12 | Maryland profile | $24.04 | $50,010 | $39,480 | $67,060 | 2,090 | 0.76 | 0.74 |
| 13 | Minnesota profile | $23.84 | $49,580 | $34,600 | $77,080 | 2,860 | 0.97 | 0.95 |
| 14 | Wisconsin profile | $23.60 | $49,090 | $36,250 | $65,130 | 2,570 | 0.87 | 0.85 |
| 15 | Maine profile | $23.51 | $48,890 | $41,550 | $59,450 | 410 | 0.65 | 0.63 |
| 16 | Nevada profile | $23.44 | $48,750 | $37,140 | $60,520 | 2,350 | 1.52 | 1.49 |
| 17 | Washington profile | $23.30 | $48,460 | $40,000 | $70,760 | 2,260 | 0.64 | 0.62 |
| 18 | Kentucky profile | $23.24 | $48,330 | $36,110 | $64,790 | 1,740 | 0.87 | 0.85 |
| 19 | Illinois profile | $23.14 | $48,140 | $37,490 | $65,780 | 5,080 | 0.83 | 0.82 |
| 20 | Arizona profile | $22.95 | $47,740 | $38,280 | $61,220 | 6,300 | 1.95 | 1.90 |
| 21 | New York profile | $22.68 | $47,170 | $35,590 | $74,490 | 8,800 | 0.91 | 0.89 |
| 22 | Michigan profile | $22.66 | $47,130 | $35,930 | $62,970 | 2,990 | 0.68 | 0.66 |
| 23 | Delaware profile | $22.44 | $46,680 | $37,840 | $63,490 | 990 | 2.03 | 1.99 |
| 24 | North Dakota profile | $22.43 | $46,660 | $35,580 | $59,990 | 270 | 0.62 | 0.61 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania profile | $22.43 | $46,660 | $35,520 | $64,720 | 6,680 | 1.10 | 1.08 |
| 26 | South Dakota profile | $22.42 | $46,620 | $35,190 | $59,140 | 1,120 | 2.44 | 2.39 |
| 27 | New Mexico profile | $22.38 | $46,560 | $31,970 | $61,100 | 440 | 0.51 | 0.49 |
| 28 | Florida profile | $22.31 | $46,410 | $35,560 | $61,390 | 13,180 | 1.33 | 1.30 |
| 29 | Georgia profile | $22.26 | $46,300 | $32,000 | $62,050 | 5,280 | 1.08 | 1.06 |
| 30 | Ohio profile | $22.23 | $46,230 | $30,830 | $62,200 | 6,620 | 1.19 | 1.17 |
| 31 | Iowa profile | $22.12 | $46,000 | $35,350 | $74,560 | 830 | 0.54 | 0.52 |
| 32 | Kansas profile | $22.00 | $45,760 | $30,650 | $75,950 | 1,350 | 0.94 | 0.92 |
| 33 | Texas profile | $21.97 | $45,710 | $30,730 | $60,130 | 21,720 | 1.54 | 1.51 |
| 34 | Montana profile | $21.84 | $45,420 | $37,870 | $60,540 | 640 | 1.25 | 1.22 |
| 35 | Indiana profile | $21.75 | $45,240 | $34,970 | $57,980 | 2,690 | 0.84 | 0.82 |
| 36 | Utah profile | $21.75 | $45,240 | $34,110 | $60,100 | 2,430 | 1.40 | 1.37 |
| 37 | Oklahoma profile | $21.55 | $44,820 | $30,730 | $73,530 | 1,740 | 1.02 | 1.00 |
| 38 | New Hampshire profile | $21.37 | $44,450 | $37,170 | $65,210 | 1,120 | 1.63 | 1.60 |
| 39 | West Virginia profile | $21.14 | $43,960 | $35,590 | $51,280 | 670 | 0.95 | 0.93 |
| 40 | Virginia profile | $21.04 | $43,770 | $31,160 | $64,100 | 4,590 | 1.12 | 1.09 |
| 41 | Nebraska profile | $20.78 | $43,210 | $33,440 | $56,290 | 730 | 0.71 | 0.69 |
| 42 | South Carolina profile | $20.74 | $43,140 | $33,390 | $57,470 | 4,430 | 1.92 | 1.88 |
| 43 | North Carolina profile | $20.63 | $42,910 | $24,960 | $58,720 | 5,460 | 1.10 | 1.08 |
| 44 | Wyoming profile | $20.25 | $42,110 | $37,430 | $52,940 | 180 | 0.62 | 0.61 |
| 45 | Idaho profile | $20.14 | $41,880 | $34,030 | $58,930 | 510 | 0.59 | 0.58 |
| 46 | Missouri profile | $20.08 | $41,760 | $28,600 | $63,000 | 3,770 | 1.29 | 1.26 |
| 47 | Tennessee profile | $19.68 | $40,920 | $30,470 | $60,540 | 3,890 | 1.19 | 1.16 |
| 48 | Alabama profile | $19.39 | $40,330 | $31,140 | $60,080 | 2,090 | 0.99 | 0.97 |
| 49 | Louisiana profile | $18.81 | $39,130 | $28,970 | $55,690 | 1,690 | 0.87 | 0.85 |
| 50 | Arkansas profile | $18.80 | $39,110 | $27,990 | $54,690 | 850 | 0.65 | 0.64 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $18.11 | $37,680 | $27,450 | $57,360 | 1,150 | 0.99 | 0.97 |
Part of Office and Administrative Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 43-3011 Bill and Account Collectors.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 43-3011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 43-3011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.