What is a Bill Collector?

Career Description Locate and notify customers of delinquent accounts by mail, telephone, or personal visit to solicit payment. Duties include receiving payment and posting amount to customer’s account; preparing statements to credit department if customer fails to respond; initiating repossession proceedings or service disconnection; and keeping records of collection and status of accounts.

A Day in the Life of a Bill Collector

• 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.
• Contact insurance companies to check on status of claims payments and write appeal letters for denial on claims.
• Arrange for debt repayment or establish repayment schedules, based on customers’ financial situations.
• Notify credit departments, order merchandise repossession or service disconnection, and turn over account records to attorneys when customers fail to respond to collection attempts.
• Trace delinquent customers to new addresses by inquiring at post offices, telephone companies, credit bureaus, or through the questioning of neighbors.

What a Bill Collector Should Know

These are the skills Bill and Account Collectors say are the most useful in their careers:

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Types of Bill Collector Jobs

• Account Receivable Associate
• Debt Collector
• Collection Clerk
• Collections Representative
• Patient Access Specialist

Bill Collector Employment Estimates

There were about 305,700 jobs for Bill and Account Collectors in 2016 (in the United States).

Bill and Account Collector jobs are decreasing by a rate of -3%. This means the total job opportunities are shrinking. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a loss of -9,100 jobs for Bill and Account Collectors by 2026. There will be an estimated 30,200 positions for Bill Collector per year.

The states with the most job growth for Bill and Account Collectors are Utah, Texas, and Florida.

Watch out if you plan on working in Illinois, Pennsylvania, or Missouri. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

What is the Average Salary of a Bill Collector

The salary for Bill and Account Collectors ranges between about $24,620 and $55,360 a year. The median salary is $36,020.

How much do Bill and Account Collectors make in different U.S. states?

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
District of Columbia	$64,210
Massachusetts	$45,810
Alaska	$45,540
Connecticut	$45,360
New Jersey	$45,260
California	$44,340
Rhode Island	$43,100
North Dakota	$43,090
Maryland	$42,950
Vermont	$42,350
New York	$42,310
Hawaii	$41,540
Virginia	$41,060
Colorado	$40,730
Washington	$40,400
Michigan	$39,800
Minnesota	$39,780
Delaware	$39,190
Oregon	$39,130
Illinois	$38,610
Wisconsin	$38,400
Wyoming	$37,850
New Hampshire	$37,410
New Mexico	$37,350
Pennsylvania	$37,340
Georgia	$37,180
Nevada	$36,710
Kentucky	$36,650
Texas	$36,590
Arizona	$36,430
Maine	$36,330
Idaho	$36,270
Florida	$36,070
North Carolina	$35,970
Ohio	$35,900
South Carolina	$35,700
Alabama	$35,570
Montana	$35,570
Iowa	$35,450
Oklahoma	$35,420
Indiana	$35,230
Missouri	$35,150
Nebraska	$34,990
Tennessee	$33,940
Kansas	$33,640
Utah	$33,500
Mississippi	$33,440
West Virginia	$33,350
Louisiana	$33,170
South Dakota	$32,570
Arkansas	$32,120

What Tools & Technology do Bill and Account Collectors Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Bill and Account Collectors may use on a daily basis:

• Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
• Microsoft Outlook
• Medical condition coding software
• Microsoft Word
• Intuit QuickBooks
• NetSuite ERP
• MEDITECH software
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Dynamics
• Microsoft Office

How do I Become a Bill Collector?

What education is needed to be a Bill and Account Collector?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Bill and Account Collectors Work

Related Careers

Are you already one of the many Bill and Account Collectors in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:

• Office Clerks, General
• Receptionists and Information Clerks

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons