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The differences between debt collectors and data 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 debt collector and a data collector. Additionally, a data collector has an average salary of $35,626, which is higher than the $33,865 average annual salary of a debt collector.
The top three skills for a debt collector include customer service, outbound calls and payment arrangements. The most important skills for a data collector are audit type, grocery store, and retail store.
| Debt Collector | Data Collector | |
| Yearly salary | $33,865 | $35,626 |
| Hourly rate | $16.28 | $17.13 |
| Growth rate | -8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 23,385 | 80,812 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Debt collectors are also known as collection agencies and are responsible for recovering past due debts. Most of them are hired by companies to collect debt either for a fee or a percentage of the total amount recovered. Also, some debt collectors buy delinquent debts at a discount and seek to collect the debt's full amount. They have many strategies to collect debts, including calling debtor's phones, sending letters, and even visiting them at their home. However, if debtors fail to pay their due, debt collectors can either update the debtor's credit report or sue them over debt. Once sued and debtors ignore court hearings and lose by default, results could either be garnishment on debtor'debtors' wages or levies on their bank.
A data collector is responsible for providing accurate and adequate information needed for business purposes and lead generation. Data collectors must have excellent knowledge of the data processing procedures, especially on updating information on the database, conducting web research, and revising statistical data as needed. They also perform related administrative and clerical duties, such as responding to customers' inquiries and concerns, writing reports, tracking business transactions, and creating business presentations. A data collector should be detail-oriented, doing tasks under minimal supervision, and complying with management deadlines.
Debt collectors and data collectors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Debt Collector | Data Collector | |
| Average salary | $33,865 | $35,626 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $43,000 | Between $31,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Mayor Ethan Berkowitz | EDC |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Government |
There are a few differences between a debt collector and a data collector in terms of educational background:
| Debt Collector | Data Collector | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between debt collectors' and data collectors' demographics:
| Debt Collector | Data Collector | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.7% Female, 69.3% | Male, 40.6% Female, 59.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 3.4% White, 59.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 13.8% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 3.7% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |