Post job

Collections coordinator vs account specialist

The differences between collections coordinators and account specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a collections coordinator and an account specialist. Additionally, an account specialist has an average salary of $42,586, which is higher than the $37,938 average annual salary of a collections coordinator.

The top three skills for a collections coordinator include customer service, patients and phone calls. The most important skills for an account specialist are customer service, patients, and account management.

Collections coordinator vs account specialist overview

Collections CoordinatorAccount Specialist
Yearly salary$37,938$42,586
Hourly rate$18.24$20.47
Growth rate-8%-8%
Number of jobs40,113116,010
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 48%Bachelor's Degree, 54%
Average age4646
Years of experience1212

What does a collections coordinator do?

Usually working alongside a company's account receivables team, a collections coordinator is in charge of developing strategies to optimize the payment collection operations. Among their responsibilities include reaching out to clients through calls or correspondence to remind them of their payment obligations, arranging appointments, processing payments, arranging payment terms, and researching a client's communication information such as cellphone number, address, or email. Moreover, a collections coordinator must maintain an active communication line with staff while promoting and enforcing the company's policies and regulations.

What does an account specialist do?

An account specialist is responsible for reaching out to customers or potential clients through calls, emails, and other forms of correspondence to secure sales and strengthen business relations. An account specialist may also perform other tasks such as arranging appointment schedules with clients, providing price quotes and responding to further inquiries, process orders, generating sales leads, and handling complaints and resolving issues. Furthermore, an account specialist may also be involved in developing strategies, finding new opportunities, producing and completing necessary documents, and preparing reports, all in adherence to the company's policies and regulations.

Collections coordinator vs account specialist salary

Collections coordinators and account specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Collections CoordinatorAccount Specialist
Average salary$37,938$42,586
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $47,000Between $28,000 And $62,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYWashington, DC
Highest paying stateConnecticutVirginia
Best paying companyUniversity of California, BerkeleyMicrosoft
Best paying industryProfessionalFinance

Differences between collections coordinator and account specialist education

There are a few differences between a collections coordinator and an account specialist in terms of educational background:

Collections CoordinatorAccount Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 48%Bachelor's Degree, 54%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Collections coordinator vs account specialist demographics

Here are the differences between collections coordinators' and account specialists' demographics:

Collections CoordinatorAccount Specialist
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 26.6% Female, 73.4%Male, 32.2% Female, 67.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.8% Asian, 3.6% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 3.7% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between collections coordinator and account specialist duties and responsibilities

Collections coordinator example responsibilities.

  • Plan and conduct sensitive HUMINT collection operations with an emphasis on managing and debriefing confidential sources.
  • Manage accounts receivable/payment, insurance billing and follow-up for a solo physician clinic, and direct communication with patients regarding bills.
  • Audit outstanding accounts and resolve any balances including calling Medicare, Medicaid, government, private or commercial insurances.
  • Perform daily follow-up on Medicare, Medicaid, workers compensation and commercial insurances.
  • Hand illustrate fully render with marker and colore pencil sketches and Photoshop render drawings.
  • Submit insurance appeals and provider disputes when necessary.
  • Show more

Account specialist example responsibilities.

  • Cultivate productive long-term relationships with all assign accounts, and manage all reporting and presentation needs for RFP's.
  • Manage a portfolio of accounts end to end RFP program execution inclusive of pricing, contracting, process and technology solutions.
  • Manage the daily correspondence from assign practices with keeping doctor/patient confidentiality under consideration along with HIPPA regulations.
  • Deliver exceptional customer service to hospital accounts and internal sales representatives in accordance to revenue recognition policies and HIPAA regulations.
  • Experience with CMS 1500 and UB-04 claims using HCPC/CPT codes as well as NDC codes
  • Monitor CMS and real time aux codes.
  • Show more

Collections coordinator vs account specialist skills

Common collections coordinator skills
  • Customer Service, 15%
  • Patients, 12%
  • Phone Calls, 6%
  • Collection Efforts, 4%
  • Delinquent Accounts, 4%
  • Appeals, 4%
Common account specialist skills
  • Customer Service, 25%
  • Patients, 13%
  • Account Management, 6%
  • PowerPoint, 4%
  • Data Entry, 4%
  • Catheter, 3%

Browse office and administrative jobs