Financial Specialists

How to become a Tax Examiner, Collector or Revenue Agent

Official title: Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents

Also called: City Tax Auditor, Collections Specialist, Revenue Agent, Revenue Collector, Revenue Officer, Revenue Specialist, Tax Collector, Tax Compliance Officer, Tax Examiner, Tax Examining Technician

Determine tax liability or collect taxes from individuals or business firms according to prescribed laws and regulations.

Main tasks

Send notices to taxpayers when accounts are delinquent.
Confer with taxpayers or their representatives to discuss the issues, laws, and regulations involved in returns, and to resolve problems with returns.
Notify taxpayers of any overpayment or underpayment, and either issue a refund or request further payment.
Maintain records for each case, including contacts, telephone numbers, and actions taken.
Contact taxpayers by mail or telephone to address discrepancies and to request supporting documentation.
Answer questions from taxpayers and assist them in completing tax forms.

How to become one

Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents typically need a bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field. However, the level of education and experience required varies with the position and employer.

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

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

Ways in

College: Business & Commerce degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US
Licence: A federal licence or certificate is required.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $62,370 a year The middle half earn $49,450 to $83,390.
About 60,100 people work in this job now, and about 59,500 are projected by 2035. (-1%)
People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Tax Examiner, Collector or Revenue Agent?

How much does a Tax Examiner, Collector or Revenue Agent earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $62,370 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $49,450 to $83,390.

Is a Tax Examiner, Collector or Revenue Agent a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 60,100 people now and 59,500 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Tax Examiner, Collector or Revenue Agent?

Not always. 57% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Business & Commerce degrees.

Will AI change the work of a Tax Examiner, Collector or Revenue Agent?

People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

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.