Data collection specialist vs billing specialist

The differences between data collection specialists and billing specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a data collection specialist, becoming a billing specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a data collection specialist has an average salary of $43,904, which is higher than the $35,624 average annual salary of a billing specialist.

The top three skills for a data collection specialist include data collection, computer database and data entry. The most important skills for a billing specialist are patients, customer service, and data entry.

Data collection specialist vs billing specialist overview

	Data Collection Specialist	Billing Specialist
Yearly salary	$43,904	$35,624
Hourly rate	$21.11	$17.13
Growth rate	-8%	-3%
Number of jobs	95,839	55,205
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	12	2

What does a data collection specialist do?

A Data Collection Specialist manages and collects the outstanding accounts receivables from customers and clients. Data Collection Specialists perform various duties that include monitoring all accounts daily, investigating historical data for receivables and debts, and processing refunds and payments. They also collaborate with data analysts to create presentations and surveys, write reports. Other duties include resolving customer credit issues, updating and recording accounts' status, and following up with clients on their overdue payments.

What does a billing specialist do?

Billing specialists are accounting or finance employees who are responsible for sending out billing invoices to clients. They calculate charges that their clients have incurred. They then write bills, ensure that all details are correct, and send these out to clients. They also manage payment due dates and ensure that clients are duly reminded of such deadlines. Billing specialists also manage client accounts and ensure that they are paying on time. They help identify clients who have outstanding payables and send out collection notices to them. At times, billing specialists also manage the receipt of payments to manage account records better.

Data collection specialist vs billing specialist salary

Data collection specialists and billing specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Data Collection Specialist	Billing Specialist
Average salary	$43,904	$35,624
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $70,000	Between $27,000 And $45,000
Highest paying City	-	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	-	Delaware
Best paying company	-	TIBCO Software
Best paying industry	-	Manufacturing

Differences between data collection specialist and billing specialist education

There are a few differences between a data collection specialist and a billing specialist in terms of educational background:

	Data Collection Specialist	Billing Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	University of Pennsylvania

Data collection specialist vs billing specialist demographics

Here are the differences between data collection specialists' and billing specialists' demographics:

	Data Collection Specialist	Billing Specialist
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 33.8% Female, 66.2%	Male, 12.7% Female, 87.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 14.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 3.8% White, 60.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 7.4% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	8%	7%

Differences between data collection specialist and billing specialist duties and responsibilities

Data collection specialist example responsibilities.

Manage and prepare pharmaceutical records for multiple FDA audits.
Enter proper diagnostic code (ICD-9), procedure codes (CPT) which patient is treated under.
Produce crime maps using GIS software.
Operate with strict adherence to data security practices in compliance with HIPPA.
Comply with HIPAA laws, contact doctors and hospital staff in gathering sensitive patient information.
Conduct medical and billing record requests, according to most recent and establish HIPAA privacy laws.

Billing specialist example responsibilities.

Use of QuickBooks to manage vendors' accounts, set up filing system to maintain files and supporting billing documents.
Manage the daily correspondence with keeping doctor/patient confidentiality under consideration along with HIPPA regulations.
Use independent judgment, manage and impart confidential information appropriately per HIPAA regulations and company requirements.
Accept and process healthcare claims and confidential medical records; verify patient eligibility and manage the Medicare and Medicaid billing process.
Provide additional information/clarification for insurance claims using knowledge of CPT, ICD-9, and HCPCS codes, as well as modifiers.
Assist staff with proper billing for patients, ensure proper coding using ICD-10, ICD-9 and CPT-4 coding.

Data collection specialist vs billing specialist skills

Common data collection specialist skills

Data Collection, 44%
Computer Database, 7%
Data Entry, 6%
Outbound Calls, 5%
Telephone Interviews, 4%
Authorization Forms, 3%

Common billing specialist skills

Patients, 16%
Customer Service, 10%
Data Entry, 9%
Medical Billing, 7%
Medicaid, 6%
CPT, 3%

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Data Collection Specialist
Data Collection Specialist vs Billing Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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