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Collection agent vs collector

The differences between collection agents and collectors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a collection agent and a collector. Additionally, a collector has an average salary of $34,872, which is higher than the $32,689 average annual salary of a collection agent.

The top three skills for a collection agent include customer service, payment arrangements and delinquent accounts. The most important skills for a collector are patients, customer service, and payment arrangements.

Collection agent vs collector overview

Collection AgentCollector
Yearly salary$32,689$34,872
Hourly rate$15.72$16.77
Growth rate-8%-8%
Number of jobs47,83723,948
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 34%Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Average age4646
Years of experience1212

What does a collection agent do?

A collections agent is responsible for communicating with clients to collect payment for their overdue bills and outstanding balances. Collections agents monitor and update a customer's account information in the system, offer repayment plans, manage billing disputes, negotiate sales terms, and maintain records of account resolution. They must evaluate customers' credit reports and delinquency levels to skip tracing priorities. A collections agent must have excellent communication and customer service skills to listen to customers' requests and initiate payment procedures.

What does a collector do?

Collectors are responsible for monitoring and providing immediate actions for client accounts with overdue payments. Collectors must be able to contact clients through phone or e-mail. A collector's duty also includes negotiating on payment procedures and offering repayment plans and alternative payment solutions to free the debt. Collectors need to document any agreements made to the client, updating and verifying contact information, resolving account discrepancies and client complaints, and report escalated concerns to the management.

Collection agent vs collector salary

Collection agents and collectors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Collection AgentCollector
Average salary$32,689$34,872
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $48,000Between $27,000 And $44,000
Highest paying CityLivingston, NJLos Angeles, CA
Highest paying stateNew JerseyAlaska
Best paying companyJM Family EnterprisesUline
Best paying industryFinanceFinance

Differences between collection agent and collector education

There are a few differences between a collection agent and a collector in terms of educational background:

Collection AgentCollector
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 34%Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Collection agent vs collector demographics

Here are the differences between collection agents' and collectors' demographics:

Collection AgentCollector
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 37.3% Female, 62.7%Male, 36.0% Female, 64.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 3.6% White, 60.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 3.8% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between collection agent and collector duties and responsibilities

Collection agent example responsibilities.

  • Manage patient focuse reports, collection modules, provider/facility A/R, collections, patient discharge letters.
  • Used computer GPS to locate vehicles.
  • Input assignments and update clients via computer programs (RDN and PRIOS).
  • Demonstrate professionalism and customer support while following FDCPA guidelines.
  • Assist in preventing impending losses and increase profitability through negotiation and enforcement of schedule collection campaigns.
  • Utilize effective negotiation skills by collecting payments from debtors of unpaid accounts via telephone and written communication.
    • Show more

Collector example responsibilities.

  • Manage patient focuse reports, collection modules, provider/facility A/R, collections, patient discharge letters.
  • Monitor all assign accounts by reviewing the client's aging, manage all potential bad debit, DSO, aging.
  • Prevent impeding loss and increasing profitability through negotiation and enforcement of schedule collection campaigns, consistently achieving high success standards.
  • Provide customer service via telephone and correspondence for patients and authorize representatives regarding outstanding patient accounts in accordance with facility protocol.
  • Verify and run eligibility on the following insurance, Medi-Cal, Medi-Cal HMO, Medicare, Medicare HMO.
  • Provide excellent customer service while following HIPPA confidentiality laws.
    • Show more

Collection agent vs collector skills

Common collection agent skills
  • Customer Service, 20%
  • Payment Arrangements, 19%
  • Delinquent Accounts, 7%
  • Debt Repayment, 6%
  • Past Due Accounts, 5%
  • Debt Collection, 3%
Common collector skills
  • Patients, 14%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Payment Arrangements, 10%
  • Excellent Interpersonal, 9%
  • Delinquent Accounts, 8%
  • Student Loans, 5%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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