Best states for a collection agent

Q: What is the best state for collection agents?

The best state to be a collection agent is Pennsylvania based on collection agent salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for collection agents?

The highest paying state for collection agents is South Dakota based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for collection agents?

The worst state for collection agents is South Dakota, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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It seems like collection agents are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for collection agents aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. We wanted to look at the best states for collection agents -- where there are plenty of collection agent jobs to go around and collection agents get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.

Pennsylvania is the best state for jobs for collection agents, and South Dakota is the worst. The most common pay in Pennsylvania is $40,541, while the median pay in South Dakota is $23,370.We found that the West is best for collection agents, and the Northeast is the worst. Livingston, NJ is the best city in the country for collection agent jobs, where as Pennsylvania is the best state in the country.

10 best states for collection agents in 2026

1. Pennsylvania
Total collection agent jobs: 1,849
Average annual salary: $40,541
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000
Location Quotient:
1.31
Collection agent jobs in Pennsylvania
2. Massachusetts
Total collection agent jobs: 1,155
Average annual salary: $45,457
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000
Location Quotient:
1.04
Collection agent jobs in Massachusetts
3. Rhode Island
Total collection agent jobs: 169
Average annual salary: $40,879
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
Collection agent jobs in Rhode Island
4. New York
Total collection agent jobs: 1,577
Average annual salary: $45,778
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000
Location Quotient:
1.01
Collection agent jobs in New York
5. New Jersey
Total collection agent jobs: 809
Average annual salary: $50,730
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000
Location Quotient:
0.84
Collection agent jobs in New Jersey
6. Vermont
Total collection agent jobs: 123
Average annual salary: $35,751
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000
Location Quotient:
1.32
Collection agent jobs in Vermont
7. Maryland
Total collection agent jobs: 654
Average annual salary: $48,911
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000
Location Quotient:
0.85
Collection agent jobs in Maryland
8. Arizona
Total collection agent jobs: 1,090
Average annual salary: $34,040
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Location Quotient:
1.54
Collection agent jobs in Arizona
9. New Hampshire
Total collection agent jobs: 243
Average annual salary: $36,452
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
Collection agent jobs in New Hampshire
10. District of Columbia
Total collection agent jobs: 124
Average annual salary: $54,411
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000
Location Quotient:
0.61
Collection agent jobs in District of Columbia

Collection agent jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a collection agent

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a collection agent

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Pennsylvania	$40,541	$22,000	12,805,537	1,849
2	Massachusetts	$45,457	$26,000	6,859,819	1,155
3	Rhode Island	$40,879	$23,000	1,059,639	169
4	New York	$45,778	$25,000	19,849,399	1,577
5	New Jersey	$50,730	$28,000	9,005,644	809
6	Vermont	$35,751	$22,000	623,657	123
7	Maryland	$48,911	$27,000	6,052,177	654
8	Arizona	$34,040	$22,000	7,016,270	1,090
9	New Hampshire	$36,452	$22,000	1,342,795	243
10	District of Columbia	$54,411	$30,000	693,972	124
11	Virginia	$48,939	$28,000	8,470,020	841
12	Delaware	$37,729	$21,000	961,939	174
13	Ohio	$33,053	$19,000	11,658,609	1,619
14	Michigan	$33,241	$20,000	9,962,311	1,102
15	Wisconsin	$35,346	$22,000	5,795,483	624
16	Connecticut	$43,373	$24,000	3,588,184	304
17	California	$40,744	$26,000	39,536,653	3,335
18	Mississippi	$33,190	$20,000	2,984,100	292
19	Missouri	$31,906	$20,000	6,113,532	1,005
20	Georgia	$34,302	$21,000	10,429,379	1,047
21	Alabama	$31,827	$19,000	4,874,747	529
22	Maine	$33,370	$21,000	1,335,907	134
23	Tennessee	$30,551	$19,000	6,715,984	787
24	South Carolina	$31,650	$19,000	5,024,369	526
25	Idaho	$31,812	$21,000	1,716,943	197
26	Nevada	$29,911	$19,000	2,998,039	320
27	North Dakota	$30,450	$21,000	755,393	109
28	Texas	$30,722	$19,000	28,304,596	2,461
29	Illinois	$31,933	$20,000	12,802,023	1,332
30	Montana	$29,189	$20,000	1,050,493	174
31	Minnesota	$31,860	$21,000	5,576,606	719
32	Washington	$32,671	$22,000	7,405,743	781
33	Indiana	$30,250	$19,000	6,666,818	726
34	Wyoming	$28,328	$19,000	579,315	84
35	Oregon	$28,672	$19,000	4,142,776	671
36	Florida	$30,336	$18,000	20,984,400	2,084
37	Alaska	$33,459	$25,000	739,795	25
38	North Carolina	$31,425	$18,000	10,273,419	767
39	West Virginia	$30,354	$17,000	1,815,857	126
40	Hawaii	$33,524	$25,000	1,427,538	86
41	Louisiana	$28,097	$17,000	4,684,333	466
42	Arkansas	$27,114	$17,000	3,004,279	394
43	Kentucky	$30,306	$18,000	4,454,189	145
44	Nebraska	$26,610	$17,000	1,920,076	354
45	Colorado	$28,126	$18,000	5,607,154	753
46	Utah	$25,218	$16,000	3,101,833	527
47	Iowa	$28,686	$18,000	3,145,711	200
48	New Mexico	$27,373	$17,000	2,088,070	201
49	Oklahoma	$25,673	$16,000	3,930,864	380
50	Kansas	$26,324	$17,000	2,913,123	318
51	South Dakota	$23,370	$15,000	869,666	132

Highest paying states for collection agents

Rank	State	Avg. Collection Agent Salary
1	Pennsylvania	$40,541
2	Massachusetts	$45,457
3	Rhode Island	$40,879
4	New York	$45,778
5	New Jersey	$50,730
6	Vermont	$35,751
7	Maryland	$48,911
8	Arizona	$34,040
9	New Hampshire	$36,452
10	District of Columbia	$54,411
11	Virginia	$48,939
12	Delaware	$37,729
13	Ohio	$33,053
14	Michigan	$33,241
15	Wisconsin	$35,346
16	Connecticut	$43,373
17	California	$40,744
18	Mississippi	$33,190
19	Missouri	$31,906
20	Georgia	$34,302
21	Alabama	$31,827
22	Maine	$33,370
23	Tennessee	$30,551
24	South Carolina	$31,650
25	Idaho	$31,812
26	Nevada	$29,911
27	North Dakota	$30,450
28	Texas	$30,722
29	Illinois	$31,933
30	Montana	$29,189
31	Minnesota	$31,860
32	Washington	$32,671
33	Indiana	$30,250
34	Wyoming	$28,328
35	Oregon	$28,672
36	Florida	$30,336
37	Alaska	$33,459
38	North Carolina	$31,425
39	West Virginia	$30,354
40	Hawaii	$33,524
41	Louisiana	$28,097
42	Arkansas	$27,114
43	Kentucky	$30,306
44	Nebraska	$26,610
45	Colorado	$28,126
46	Utah	$25,218
47	Iowa	$28,686
48	New Mexico	$27,373
49	Oklahoma	$25,673
50	Kansas	$26,324
51	South Dakota	$23,370

Collection agent best states FAQs

What is the best state for collection agents?

What is the highest paying state for collection agents?

What is the worst state for collection agents?

Have more questions? See all answers to common office and administrative questions.

Search for collection agent jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse office and administrative jobs

Total collection agent jobs:	1,849
Average annual salary:	$40,541
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$22,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$71,000
Location Quotient:	1.31

Best states for a collection agent

10 best states for collection agents in 2026

1. Pennsylvania

2. Massachusetts

3. Rhode Island

4. New York

5. New Jersey

6. Vermont

7. Maryland

8. Arizona

9. New Hampshire

10. District of Columbia