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Debt collector vs recovery specialist

The differences between debt collectors and recovery specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a recovery specialist has an average salary of $51,598, 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 recovery specialist are customer service, mental health, and patients.

Debt collector vs recovery specialist overview

Debt CollectorRecovery Specialist
Yearly salary$33,865$51,598
Hourly rate$16.28$24.81
Growth rate-8%-
Number of jobs23,3851,905
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 34%Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age4624
Years of experience12-

What does a debt collector do?

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.

What does a recovery specialist do?

A recovery specialist has various responsibilities depending on their line of work or industry. In a business setting, a recovery specialist is in-charge of devising plans and strategies to protect a company or brand's networks, systems, data, hardware, and software. They primarily function to prevent damages or losses by implementing precautionary and corrective measures. Furthermore, a recovery specialist needs to coordinate with co-workers and team members, report to a manager or supervisor, and adhere to its policies and standards.

Debt collector vs recovery specialist salary

Debt collectors and recovery specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Debt CollectorRecovery Specialist
Average salary$33,865$51,598
Salary rangeBetween $26,000 And $43,000Between $24,000 And $108,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CANew York, NY
Highest paying stateCaliforniaNew York
Best paying companyMayor Ethan BerkowitzPrime Healthcare
Best paying industryConstruction-

Differences between debt collector and recovery specialist education

There are a few differences between a debt collector and a recovery specialist in terms of educational background:

Debt CollectorRecovery Specialist
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 34%Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Debt collector vs recovery specialist demographics

Here are the differences between debt collectors' and recovery specialists' demographics:

Debt CollectorRecovery Specialist
Average age4624
Gender ratioMale, 30.7% Female, 69.3%Male, 39.3% Female, 60.7%
Race ratioBlack 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, 14.1% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.6% Asian, 6.8% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage8%4%

Differences between debt collector and recovery specialist duties and responsibilities

Debt collector example responsibilities.

  • Prevent impeding loss and increasing profitability through negotiation and enforcement of schedule collection campaigns, consistently achieving high success standards.
  • Work with FHA, obama programs at the time.
  • Educate customers on ways to get medical assistance such as Medicaid, Medicare etc.
  • Prevent foreclosure by putting people on repayment plans, submitting requests for modifications, or deed in lieu.
  • File Medicaid, Medicare and commercial claims consisting of PPO discounts, nurse practitioner discounts, humanitarian discounts, etc.
  • Maintain security and confidentiality of company and client information, following FDCPA regulations.
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Recovery specialist example responsibilities.

  • Train and supervise newly recruit sailors to meet standard qualifications and achieve certifications.
  • Direct the defense and resolution of dispute liability in arbitration proceedings in order to minimize payout or achieve recovery.
  • Operate, maintain, and perform organizational maintenance on ground-handling equipment used for moving and hoisting of aircraft ashore and afloat.
  • Conduct daily intervention and formal groups, individual counseling, crisis intervention, behavioral programming and auxiliary support activities for patients.
  • Develop, organize and implement psychiatric rehabilitation group activities that address the need of persons with severe and persistent mental illness.
  • Supervise a team of sailors to perform maintenance on firefighting and life-saving equipment after every use; or manufacture recommendation interval.
  • Show more

Debt collector vs recovery specialist skills

Common debt collector skills
  • Customer Service, 9%
  • Outbound Calls, 9%
  • Payment Arrangements, 8%
  • Delinquent Accounts, 8%
  • Credit Card Payments, 6%
  • FDCPA, 5%
Common recovery specialist skills
  • Customer Service, 16%
  • Mental Health, 12%
  • Patients, 10%
  • Substance Abuse, 8%
  • Rehabilitation, 7%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 6%

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