How to hire a collection agent

How to hire a collection agent, step by step

Here's a step-by-step collection agent hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a collection agent job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new collection agent
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a collection agent do?

Post a collection agent job for free, promote it for a fee

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your collection agent job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a collection agent for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A collection agent's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, collection agents from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of collection agents.

   Type of Collection Agent	Description	Hourly rate
   Collection Agent	Bill and account collectors, sometimes called collectors, try to recover payment on overdue bills. They negotiate repayment plans with debtors and help them find solutions to make paying their overdue bills easier.	$10-23
   Account Representative	Account representatives are employees who manage client accounts and act as the main contact of the clients they are handling. They maintain existing accounts by updating client details regularly... Show more	$12-24
   Accounts Receivable Analyst	An Accounts Receivable Analyst provides accounts receivable support through monitoring all aspects of the collection of outstanding debts owed to a company. They check missing and unresolved payment issues, monitor overdue accounts, and prepare statements for managers.	$15-27

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Payment Arrangements
   • Delinquent Accounts
   • Debt Repayment
   • Past Due Accounts
   • Debt Collection
   • Overdue Accounts
   • FDCPA
   • Customer Accounts
   • Computer System
   • Collection Efforts
   • Inbound Calls
   • Outbound Calls
   • Outbound Collection Calls

   Check all skills

   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.

   More collection agent duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your collection agent job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A collection agent salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, collection agents' average salary in south dakota is 57% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level collection agents earn 54% less than senior-level collection agents.
   • Certifications. A collection agent with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a collection agent's salary.

   Average collection agent salary

   $15.72hourly

   $32,689 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level collection agent salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average collection agent salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$50,641	$24
   2	Maryland	$49,411	$24
   3	Pennsylvania	$41,444	$20
   4	Delaware	$37,924	$18
   5	Georgia	$34,224	$16
   6	Arizona	$34,041	$16
   7	Washington	$33,061	$16
   8	South Carolina	$32,380	$16
   9	Minnesota	$31,915	$15
   10	Texas	$31,695	$15
   11	North Carolina	$31,687	$15
   12	Tennessee	$31,378	$15
   13	Florida	$30,608	$15
   14	Colorado	$28,325	$14
   15	Louisiana	$28,264	$14
   16	Utah	$26,462	$13
   17	South Dakota	$23,499	$11

   Average collection agent salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	JM Family Enterprises	$35,361	$17.00
   2	PosiGen	$35,353	$17.00
   3	Southwest Credit Systems	$35,265	$16.95
   4	Conn's	$34,478	$16.58
   5	Southern Glazer's	$34,452	$16.56	11
   6	CarMax	$34,438	$16.56	1
   7	Capital Vacations	$34,314	$16.50	8
   8	Diversified Adjustment Svc Inc	$34,088	$16.39	1
   9	First Horizon Bank	$33,767	$16.23	2
   10	Radius	$33,450	$16.08	15
   11	LAZ Parking	$33,239	$15.98
   12	Randstad North America, Inc.	$33,222	$15.97	6
   13	Rpc	$32,834	$15.79	2
   14	Nordstrom	$32,568	$15.66	11
   15	Jolly Roofing	$31,827	$15.30
   16	Robert Half	$31,591	$15.19	252
   17	Kelly Services	$31,306	$15.05	9
   18	CTG	$31,297	$15.05	1
   19	ManpowerGroup	$31,188	$14.99	22
   20	City of Boulder	$30,498	$14.66

4. Writing a collection agent job description

   A collection agent job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a collection agent job description:

   Collection agent job description example

   • Commission Incentive Potential
   • Typical OTE ranges from $45k-$50k for your first year! High performance earnings can exceed $60k a year!
   • Medical, Dental, Vision, 401k with company match up to 6%, PTO, Life Insurance, HSA, FSA, Stock Options, Paid Maternity and Leave, Financial Wellness, and More!
   • $500 Employee Referral Program
   • Paid time off, 8 Paid Holidays, and 2 Floating Holidays
   • Stock options awarded annually

   What will you do?

   • Ensure an excellent customer service experience for PosiGen customers to resolve their past due accounts.
   • Receive incoming and make outbound calls to customers in arrears to discuss payment options
   • Advise and influence customers on the payment options for debt recovery
   • Manage customers who are resistant to agent contact by remaining polite, tactful, honest and firm
   • Handle escalated customer calls and address any collection issues expediently to ensure customer satisfaction

   We want to hear from you if:

   • Have the ability to relate to people from a variety of different backgrounds
   • Are persuasive, persistent, and self-motivated
   • Have de-escalation, advanced customer service, and analytical skills
   • Have knowledge of billing, collections, and customer service procedures
   • 1 -2 years of experience in a call center or collection agency preferred

   We believe in our team members success and empower them to learn, grow, and thrive in their careers. You can expect to receive comprehensive training that can take you from any level of experience to the success you choose. Path to managerial opportunities also available from within. Are you ready to be a part of an organization that invests in you? Apply today and join the solar revolution to provide solar for all!

   PosiGen is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. Individuals who require reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act in order to participate in the search process should notify the Office of Human Resources.

   #indam

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right collection agent for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your collection agent job on Zippia to find and recruit collection agent candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit collection agents, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new collection agent

   Once you've found the collection agent candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new collection agent first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a collection agent?