Bill & Account Collector
Bill and account collectors try to recover payment on overdue bills.
What the job is
- The work
- Bill and account collectors try to recover payment on overdue bills.
BLS
Bill and Account Collectors — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Work environment
- Many bill and account collectors work in a call center for a third-party collection agency rather than for the original creditor. Most work full time.
BLS
Bill and Account Collectors — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Good fit for
- Calm, persuasive people who can handle difficult phone calls and keep to the rules.
- Career cluster
- Financial Services
Key numbers
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, pay for May 2025 (bill and account collectors).
- Median pay
- $47,030 a year ($22.61 an hour)
BLS
Bill and Account Collectors — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Jobs in 2025
- 160,200
- Typical entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Training after hire
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Job outlook, 2025–35
- Projected growth
- −10%, which BLS calls "decline"
BLS
Bill and Account Collectors — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Jobs added
- −16,700 over 2025–35
- All U.S. jobs
- 3.5% over the same period, for comparison
How to become one
- The usual route
- Bill and account collectors typically need at least a high school diploma to enter the occupation, and they receive training on the job.
BLS
Bill and Account Collectors — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- In short
- Collectors typically need at least a high school diploma; some employers prefer college courses. Training after hiring covers software, the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and state debt-collection rules.
- License
- None listed by BLS
- Paying for it
- File the FAFSA (opens by October 1) for grants, work-study and federal loans; a Pell Grant pays up to $7,395 a year (2026–27). Average public four-year tuition and fees: $11,950 in-state vs $31,880 out-of-state (2025–26). Residency rules and regional discounts · Save with 2+2 transfer
- Your state
-
StateChoose a state
- AlabamaState guide
- AlaskaState guide
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- ArkansasState guide
- CaliforniaState guide
- ColoradoState guide
- ConnecticutState guide
- DelawareState guide
- District of ColumbiaState guide
- FloridaState guide
- GeorgiaState guide
- HawaiiState guide
- IdahoState guide
- IllinoisState guide
- IndianaState guide
- IowaState guide
- KansasState guide
- KentuckyState guide
- LouisianaState guide
- MaineState guide
- MarylandState guide
- MassachusettsState guide
- MichiganState guide
- MinnesotaState guide
- MississippiState guide
- MissouriState guide
- MontanaState guide
- NebraskaState guide
- NevadaState guide
- New HampshireState guide
- New JerseyState guide
- New MexicoState guide
- New YorkState guide
- North CarolinaState guide
- North DakotaState guide
- OhioState guide
- OklahomaState guide
- OregonState guide
- PennsylvaniaState guide
- Rhode IslandState guide
- South CarolinaState guide
- South DakotaState guide
- TennesseeState guide
- TexasState guide
- UtahState guide
- VermontState guide
- VirginiaState guide
- WashingtonState guide
- West VirginiaState guide
- WisconsinState guide
- WyomingState guide
Step-by-step roadmap
The routes step by step, the exam gates and the state license step are on one page.
Bill and account collector: diploma, then training on debt-collection law
See the roadmap
Route 1: Diploma → training on collection law → collector
More careers in Financial Services
Open the cluster hubEvery career page in this cluster, with entry, license, pay and outlook side by side.
Every number links to the BLS page it came from, checked 20 Oct 2026. Education Margdarshan does not recommend paid courses.