Debt Collector Education Requirements And Courses

Debt collector education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Usually, debt collectors don't need a college education. The most common degree for debt collectors is high school diploma with 34% graduates, with only 26% debt collector graduates earning bachelor's degree. Debt collectors who decided to graduate from college often finish University of Phoenix or SUNY Buffalo State. Some good skills to have in this position include customer service, outbound calls and payment arrangements.

Popular debt collector certifications include Certified Medical Office Manager (CMOM), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), or International Accredited Business Accountant (IABA). To improve debt collector qualification and skills, we prepared some online courses to help in debt collector education paths.

What education do you need to become a debt collector?

What degree do you need to be a debt collector?

The most common degree for debt collectors is high school diploma, with 34% of debt collectors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 26% and bachelor's degree degree at 22%.

High School Diploma, 34%

Bachelor's, 26%

Associate, 22%

Diploma, 9%

Other Degrees, 9%

What should I major in to become a debt collector?

You should major in business to become a debt collector. 30% of debt collectors major in business. Other common majors for a debt collector include accounting and criminal justice.

Business, 30%

Accounting, 11%

Criminal Justice, 7%

Health Care Administration, 6%

Other Majors, 46%

Best majors for debt collectors

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	29.7%
2	Accounting	10.6%
3	Criminal Justice	7.1%
4	Health Care Administration	6.3%
5	General Studies	6.0%

Show more common debt collector majors

20 best online courses for debt collectors

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1. Financial Accounting-Adjusting Entries & Financial Statement

4.6

(930)

Master Adjusting Entries & Financial Statements: A Comprehensive Guide for Accurate Accounting and Reporting...

2. Financial Accounting & Excel-Comprehensive Accounting Course

4.3

(736)

Comprehensive accounting course to learn the accounting cycle in a practical way and pick up critical Excel fundamentals...

3. Accounting & Financial Statement Analysis: Complete Training

4.6

(16,804)

Accounting & Financial Ratio Analysis made easy. Learn important accounting skills that will get your foot in the door!...

4. Accounting basics, create financial statements easily

4.5

(280)

Discover, develop, practice your financial information and explore the world of accounting...

5. Financial Accounting-Debits & Credits-Accounting Transaction

4.5

(781)

Masterclass: Learn Accounting Principles, Financial Statements, Transactions & More in this Comprehensive Course...

6. Principles of Financial Accounting

4.5

(875)

Learn the complete accounting cycle -recording business transactions to presenting the Balance Sheet & Income Statement...

7. Accounting, Bookkeeping & Financial Analysis (Accounting)

4.5

(521)

Accounting & Bookkeeping Basics. Accounting & Financial Analysis Concepts. Learn Accounting & Bookkeeping...

8. Financial Accounting: The Complete Introductory Crash Course

4.5

(1,604)

Learn the Basics of Financial Accounting: Financial Statements, Debits and Credits, The Accounting Cycle and More!...

9. Advanced Financial Accounting: Acquisitions & Consolidations

4.1

(703)

Acquisitions, Consolidations, and Reporting. Master complex concepts and applications...

10. Introductory Financial Accounting

4.7

(666)

Learn the basics of Accounting including: the accounting cycle, inventory, depreciation, receivables, and more!...

11. ACCA: FA (F3) Financial Accounting

4.5

(1,302)

Let's get to grasps of how to perform the basics of financial accounting...

12. Accounting Made Easy: A Quick Guide to Financial Accounting

4.5

(2,757)

Accounting is not about Math, it is about concepts. And no one said it has to be hard. Learn the basics in just 2 hours!...

13. Financial Accounting - Closing Process

4.3

(964)

Conquering the Closing Process: A Thorough Exploration of the Final Step in Accounting...

14. Partnership Accounting - Financial Accounting

4.7

(272)

Unlocking the Power of Partnership Accounting: Strategies for Effective Management and Financial Decision Making...

15. Accounting for Corporations - Financial Accounting

4.8

(281)

Demystifying Corporate Accounting: An In-depth Exploration of Financial Transactions in Corporations...

16. How to Read Financial Statements: Build Financial Literacy.

4.5

(811)

Read financial statements and speak the language of business without the drudgery of a traditional accounting course...

17. Accounting & Bookkeeping Masterclass - Beginner to Advanced

4.5

(4,371)

Accounting, Bookkeeping Introduction, Accounting, Bookkeeping Entries, Accounting, Bookkeeping Adjustments & Reports...

18. Financial Accounting-Depreciation Calculation & Fixed Assets

4.5

(341)

Optimizing Asset Management: Comprehensive Guide to Property, Plant, and Equipment Accounting...

19. Financial Bookkeeping and Accountancy: Complete Accounting

4.3

(501)

A Complete Course on Book-keeping & Accounting Course For Level 1 & 2 aspirants...

20. Financial Accounting - Subsidiary Ledgers & Special Journals

4.5

(580)

Mastering Special Journals and Subsidiary Ledgers: A Comprehensive Guide to Streamlined Accounting Practices...

Average debt collector salary by education level

According to our data, debt collectors with a Bachelor's degree earn the highest average salary, at $36,467 annually. Debt collectors with a Associate degree earn an average annual salary of $34,288.

Debt collector education level	Debt collector salary
High School Diploma or Less	$34,273
Bachelor's Degree	$36,467
Some College/ Associate Degree	$34,288