Financial Clerks

How to become a Bill and Account Collector

Official title: Bill and Account Collectors

Also called: Account Representative, Accounts Receivable Specialist (AR Specialist), Collection Agent, Collection Specialist, Collector, Debt Collector, Patient Access Specialist, Patient Account Representative, Telephone Collector

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.

Main tasks

Record information about financial status of customers and status of collection efforts.
Locate and notify customers of delinquent accounts by mail, telephone, or personal visits to solicit payment.
Locate and monitor overdue accounts, using computers and a variety of automated systems.
Arrange for debt repayment or establish repayment schedules, based on customers' financial situations.
Advise customers of necessary actions and strategies for debt repayment.
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.
Confer with customers by telephone or in person to determine reasons for overdue payments and to review the terms of sales, service, or credit contracts.

How to become one

Bill and account collectors typically need at least a high school diploma to enter the occupation, and they receive training on the job.

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Licence: A licence is required in 16 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $47,030 a year The middle half earn $39,010 to $56,740.
About 160,200 people work in this job now, and about 143,400 are projected by 2035. (-10.4%)
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Bill and Account Collector?

Bill and account collectors typically need at least a high school diploma to enter the occupation, and they receive training on the job.

How much does a Bill and Account Collector earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $47,030 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $39,010 to $56,740.

Is a Bill and Account Collector a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 10% by 2035, from about 160,200 to about 143,400 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Bill and Account Collector?

Usually not. Only 21% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Bill and Account Collector?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.