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Collector salary
Average collector salary
$16.77
Understanding Collector Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Collector in the United States stands at $34,872 per year, or approximately $17 per hour. This salary can vary significantly based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which the collector operates.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level collectors typically earn lower salaries, while those with several years of experience can command higher pay. For instance, collectors with over five years in the field may see salaries approaching $40,000 annually. This increase reflects the value of experience and proven success in debt recovery.
Geographic Influence
Location also plays a critical role in determining salary levels. For example, collectors working in metropolitan areas tend to earn more than those in rural regions. States like California and New York often offer the highest salaries for collectors due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals in financial recovery.
Job Opportunities
In addition to traditional debt collection roles, opportunities in specialized sectors such as medical billing or automotive finance can offer competitive salaries, making it essential for collectors to explore various job avenues to maximize their earning potential.
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Where can a Collector earn more?
Collector salaries by experience level
Collector salary estimates from across the web
Average collector salary by state
The highest-paying states for collectors are Alaska, California, and Connecticut. The lowest average collector salary states are South Carolina, Nebraska, and North Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for collectors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $37,725 | $18.14 |
| 2 | Alaska | $41,088 | $19.75 |
| 3 | Missouri | $35,856 | $17.24 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $36,128 | $17.37 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $40,082 | $19.27 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $42,780 | $20.57 |
| 7 | Colorado | $37,434 | $18.00 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $34,269 | $16.48 |
| 9 | Georgia | $35,193 | $16.92 |
| 10 | Washington | $37,517 | $18.04 |
| 11 | California | $40,664 | $19.55 |
| 12 | Arizona | $35,096 | $16.87 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $36,357 | $17.48 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $37,631 | $18.09 |
| 15 | Utah | $34,767 | $16.71 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $34,860 | $16.76 |
| 17 | Mississippi | $37,296 | $17.93 |
| 18 | Michigan | $35,297 | $16.97 |
| 19 | Texas | $34,566 | $16.62 |
| 20 | Illinois | $35,952 | $17.28 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $36,453 | $17.53 |
| 22 | Nevada | $34,689 | $16.68 |
| 23 | Idaho | $36,883 | $17.73 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $35,543 | $17.09 |
| 25 | Indiana | $33,467 | $16.09 |
| 26 | Maryland | $35,003 | $16.83 |
| 27 | Vermont | $34,007 | $16.35 |
| 28 | Kansas | $34,066 | $16.38 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $35,143 | $16.90 |
| 30 | Florida | $33,315 | $16.02 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $31,966 | $15.37 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $31,731 | $15.26 |
| 33 | New York | $33,682 | $16.19 |
| 34 | New Jersey | $34,012 | $16.35 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $39,410 | $18.95 |
| 36 | Ohio | $32,207 | $15.48 |
| 37 | Iowa | $30,964 | $14.89 |
| 38 | New Hampshire | $32,268 | $15.51 |
| 39 | Maine | $32,213 | $15.49 |
| 40 | Alabama | $31,984 | $15.38 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $32,398 | $15.58 |
| 42 | Virginia | $33,093 | $15.91 |
| 43 | Montana | $33,133 | $15.93 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $28,392 | $13.65 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $32,374 | $15.56 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $31,099 | $14.95 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $29,860 | $14.36 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $30,257 | $14.55 |
| 49 | North Carolina | $29,326 | $14.10 |
| 50 | Delaware | $28,876 | $13.88 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $26,875 | $12.92 |
Highest paying cities for collectors
The highest-paying cities for collectors are Los Angeles, CA, Portland, OR, and Denver, CO.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA | $40,622 | $19.53 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $37,749 | $18.15 |
| 3 | Denver, CO | $37,419 | $17.99 |
| 4 | Madison, WI | $36,184 | $17.40 |
| 5 | Saint Paul, MN | $36,137 | $17.37 |
| 6 | Kansas City, MO | $36,017 | $17.32 |
| 7 | Bloomington, IL | $35,687 | $17.16 |
| 8 | Troy, MI | $35,373 | $17.01 |
| 9 | Atlanta, GA | $35,242 | $16.94 |
| 10 | Baltimore, MD | $35,144 | $16.90 |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $35,093 | $16.87 |
| 12 | Reno, NV | $34,979 | $16.82 |
| 13 | San Antonio, TX | $34,931 | $16.79 |
| 14 | Salt Lake City, UT | $34,794 | $16.73 |
| 15 | Harrisburg, PA | $34,041 | $16.37 |
| 16 | Buffalo, NY | $33,618 | $16.16 |
| 17 | Largo, FL | $33,551 | $16.13 |
| 18 | Muncie, IN | $33,434 | $16.07 |
| 19 | Norfolk, VA | $32,959 | $15.85 |
| 20 | Portland, ME | $32,345 | $15.55 |
Collectors are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Collector salary details
A collector's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $44,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a collector's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 75th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| Average | $34,872 | $2,906 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
Highest paying collector jobs
The highest paying types of collectors are senior collector, recovery specialist, and loan specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account Representative | $36,977 | $3,081 | $17.78 | 183,446 |
| Loan Services Representative | $38,603 | $3,217 | $18.56 | 85,475 |
| Collections/Accounts Receivable | $38,949 | $3,246 | $18.73 | 30,523 |
| Collections, Customer Service | $32,870 | $2,739 | $15.80 | 161,544 |
| Collections Representative | $34,015 | $2,835 | $16.35 | 85,275 |
| Collections Coordinator | $37,938 | $3,162 | $18.24 | 40,113 |
Top companies hiring collectors now:
Which companies pay collectors the most?
Collector salaries at Uline and Valley Presbyterian Hospital are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average collector salary at companies like Woodforest Financial Group Inc and Genisys Credit Union are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uline | $38,478 | $18.50 |
| 2 | Valley Presbyterian Hospital | $37,659 | $18.11 |
| 3 | Woodforest Financial Group Inc | $37,605 | $18.08 |
| 4 | Genisys Credit Union | $37,463 | $18.01 |
| 5 | Waste Management | $37,423 | $17.99 |
| 6 | Waste Pro | $37,299 | $17.93 |
| 7 | Sanmina | $37,291 | $17.93 |
| 8 | Hilton Grand Vacations | $37,175 | $17.87 |
| 9 | Oregon Community Credit Union | $36,943 | $17.76 |
| 10 | OneMain | $36,864 | $17.72 |
| 11 | First Community Bancshares | $36,791 | $17.69 |
| 12 | Mayor Ethan Berkowitz | $36,786 | $17.69 |
| 13 | PSECU | $36,727 | $17.66 |
| 14 | Triad Financial Sm Llc | $36,630 | $17.61 |
| 15 | Army National Guard | $36,630 | $17.61 |
| 16 | RCS Capital Partners | $36,607 | $17.60 |
| 17 | Mariner Finance | $36,606 | $17.60 |
| 18 | Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company | $36,575 | $17.58 |
| 19 | New York Life Insurance | $36,548 | $17.57 |
| 20 | First Financial Holdings, Inc. | $36,519 | $17.56 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Collector salary trends
The average collector salary has risen by $5,656 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average collector earned $29,216 annually, but today, they earn $34,872 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for collectors over the last decade.
Compare collector salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average collector salary over time
Compare collector salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Collector salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $34,900 | $16.77 | +2.9% |
| 2024 | $33,900 | $16.28 | +2.6% |
| 2023 | $33,000 | $15.85 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $32,300 | $15.55 | -0.1% |
| 2021 | $32,400 | $15.56 | +2.6% |
Recently added collector salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wash | Route Collector | Hayward, CA | 06/30/2025 | $35,479 |
| Oneaz Credit Union | Collector | Phoenix, AZ | 06/29/2025 | $45,914 |
| Radius Global Solutions LLC | Collections Evening (5Pm-10Pm) | Lenexa, KS | 06/29/2025 | $29,218 |
| Usc | Collector-MSO-CBO-Days (Non-Exempt) (NON | Alhambra, CA | 06/28/2025 | $52,175 |
| Crane Pest Control | Collector | Santa Clara, CA | 06/28/2025 | $48,001 |
| National Construction Rentals | Office Adm-Collector | Cicero, IL | 06/27/2025 | $45,914 |
| Orkin, LLC | Collector | Santa Clara, CA | 06/27/2025 | $48,001 |
| The Goal Family of Companies | Collector | Sioux Falls, SD | 06/27/2025 | $37,566 |
| Nordstrom Inc. | Beauty Sales-LE Labo-Somerset Collection | Troy, MI | 06/26/2025 | $42,992 |
| Valley Presbyterian | Collector II | Los Angeles, CA | 06/26/2025 | $51,612 |
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