Data collection specialist vs collections specialist

The differences between data collection specialists and collections 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 data collection specialist and a collections specialist. Additionally, a data collection specialist has an average salary of $43,904, which is higher than the $35,164 average annual salary of a collections specialist.

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

Data collection specialist vs collections specialist overview

	Data Collection Specialist	Collections Specialist
Yearly salary	$43,904	$35,164
Hourly rate	$21.11	$16.91
Growth rate	-8%	-8%
Number of jobs	95,839	40,277
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	12	12

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 collections specialist do?

As their name entails, collections specialists collect payments for the outstanding accounts receivables. Collections specialists list the names of those who were unable to pay their overdue bills based on their delinquency severity. They locate the customers through loan documents, background checks, credit bureau information, and other databases or paperwork. These specialists are expected to be excellent in their negotiation and communication skills. They should also be trustworthy, reliable, and act professionally to be considered as good specialists.

Data collection specialist vs collections specialist salary

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

	Data Collection Specialist	Collections Specialist
Average salary	$43,904	$35,164
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $70,000	Between $27,000 And $45,000
Highest paying City	-	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	-	Connecticut
Best paying company	-	Kent Daniels & Associates
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between data collection specialist and collections specialist education

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

	Data Collection Specialist	Collections Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Data collection specialist vs collections specialist demographics

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

	Data Collection Specialist	Collections Specialist
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 33.8% Female, 66.2%	Male, 30.5% Female, 69.5%
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, 12.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 3.7% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between data collection specialist and collections 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.

Collections specialist example responsibilities.

Manage university A/R processes and enforce tuition payment policy.
Manage accounts for healthcare clients, review detailed patient information for payment resolution while abiding HIPPA privacy and security regulations.
Review denied Medicare and Maine Medicaid insurance claims for accuracy.
Analyze hospital insurance claims of individual patients for errors and contact major insurance carriers for claims dispute resolution.
Analyze accounts for patients ineligible for private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid and indicating inability to pay balance.
Possess effective persuasion and negotiation skills, excellent interpersonal and communications skills with the ability to deliver quality customer service.

Data collection specialist vs collections 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 collections specialist skills

Customer Service, 23%
Patients, 8%
Customer Accounts, 6%
Payment Arrangements, 5%
Delinquent Accounts, 4%
Phone Calls, 4%

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Data Collection Specialist
Data Collection Specialist vs Collections Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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