Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Bill and account collectors work in a field that combines customer interaction, financial awareness, and detailed record management. Nationally, this occupation employs 167,000 people, indicating a sizable workforce and established role within office and administrative support functions. The national median annual salary of $46,040 reflects a mid-range earning path that can vary noticeably by state and metro area. Career readiness is accessible, as the typical education requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent, supported by strong skills in customer service, communication, mathematics, and problem solving. Core abilities such as speaking and listening, computers and information technology, and being detail oriented are central to success. Although projected employment growth is -10.5%, there are still 14,000 annual openings, suggesting ongoing turnover and replacement needs. For individuals interested in office-based work that relies on interpersonal, analytical, and organizational strengths, bill and account collection offers a defined path with related options such as office clerks, correspondence clerks, and financial clerks roles.
The national median annual salary for bill and account collectors is $46,040, with earnings differing by location. Among the top states, Massachusetts and California stand out, with median salaries of $59,800 and $57,930, respectively, while New York, Colorado, and Washington offer median salaries ranging from $47,170 to $50,090. At the metro level, pay can be substantially higher. The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA area reports a median salary of $77,360, and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA shows $72,430. Other high-opportunity metros such as New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV; and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH offer median salaries between $54,370 and $59,800. These figures indicate that geographic choice can have a significant impact on earning potential within this occupation, particularly in certain California and major East Coast metro areas.
Bill and account collectors currently account for 167,000 jobs nationwide. The occupation’s projected employment growth is -10.5%, indicating a decline in overall employment levels over the projection period. Despite this negative growth rate, there are still 14,000 annual openings. This combination suggests that much of the opportunity in this field is driven by replacement needs, such as workers changing occupations, retiring, or moving out of the labor force. For career planning, this means individuals may continue to find openings, even as total employment shrinks. Job seekers considering this path may want to weigh the declining employment projection against the steady flow of openings. For those already in similar roles—such as correspondence clerks, office clerks, or bookkeeping and accounting clerks—bill and account collection may still represent a viable option within the broader office and administrative support landscape, as long as they remain mindful of longer-term consolidation in the field.
Geography plays a notable role in opportunity and pay for bill and account collectors. At the state level, California and Massachusetts have the highest CareerGPS opportunity scores, 67.38 and 65.87, along with relatively high median salaries of $57,930 and $59,800. New York, Colorado, and Washington also appear among the top states, with opportunity scores between 56.29 and 65.78, and median salaries from $47,170 to $50,090. Employment levels differ considerably: California shows 13,880 jobs versus 2,510 in Massachusetts and 8,800 in New York. Metro-level data highlights even sharper distinctions. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has the highest opportunity score at 77.42 and a median salary of $77,360, followed by New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ with a score of 77.27 and median pay of $54,370. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH combine solid employment bases with opportunity scores above 63, giving job seekers several strong regional choices.
The typical education requirement for bill and account collectors is a high school diploma or equivalent, making this role accessible to individuals who have completed secondary education but may not hold a college degree. Beyond formal education, success in this occupation relies on a well-rounded skill set. Customer service, speaking and listening, and interpersonal skills are important for interacting effectively with others. Mathematics, critical and analytical thinking, and problem solving and decision making support the more quantitative and evaluative aspects of the work. Competence with computers and information technology, as well as strong writing and reading abilities, help with handling information accurately and efficiently. Being detail oriented is also emphasized, reflecting the importance of accuracy. Project management skills contribute to organizing tasks and following through on responsibilities. Together, these skills provide a practical roadmap for anyone preparing to enter or advance in this field with a high school-level educational foundation.
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