There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a tax collector. For example, did you know that they make an average of $16.14 an hour? That's $33,569 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -2% and produce -1,400 job opportunities across the U.S.

What Does a Tax Collector Do

There are certain skills that many tax collectors have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed analytical skills, interpersonal skills and organizational skills.

How To Become a Tax Collector

If you're interested in becoming a tax collector, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 43.9% of tax collectors have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 5.3% of tax collectors have master's degrees. Even though some tax collectors have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Tax Collector Career Paths

Average Salary for a Tax Collector

Tax Collectors in America make an average salary of $33,569 per year or $16 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $58,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $19,000 per year.
Average Tax Collector Salary
$33,569 Yearly
$16.14 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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Roles and Types of Tax Collector

There are several types of tax collector, including:

Collector

Role:

Now, we know what you're thinking. Collector is a fun job because you just get to collect things all day. But instead of things, you'll probably be collecting debt that people owe for bills. So sometimes this won't be a fun job.

Collectors call, email, and mail debtors about money that they owe. Those people probably aren't going to be your biggest fan. But sometimes you may be able to offer them assistance. You can help debtors set up a repayment plan and help them figure out how to pay off this debt.

The people that will enjoy your presence are the people who's bills are being paid off. So not everyone will grow a distaste for you. And we're sure you're nothing like the Sheriff of Nottingham from the Legend of Robin Hood.

  • Average Salary: $34,872
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Tax Analyst

Role:

A tax analyst is responsible for the preparation, review, and filing of tax forms. Apart from the preparation of taxes, tax analysts are hired to devise means for reduced tax payments. You are in charge of the preparation of tax returns and quarterly tax payments. You also handle all the tax paperwork for your client. Your job involves the calculation of taxes owed, saving gained from deductions, and other costs that influence the final tax estimate. As an analyst, you make recommendations that concern tax breaks, deductions, and ways to reduce tax expenses. To succeed as a tax analyst, you must stay updated about tax laws and recent modifications.

You need to possess a degree in accounting, finance, or other similar fields of study to work as a tax analyst. You must also be a detail-oriented analytical thinker. Great computer, communication, and time management skills are also required for the role. Tax analysts earn $64,897 on an average every year.

  • Average Salary: $61,745
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Tax Examining Technician

Role:

As a tax examining technician, you will settle queries regarding tax account issues such as tax misconduct, adjust taxpayer accounts, and provide information about general service procedures.

You will analyze and take appropriate actions to determine tax liability. Your assignments may include communicating with taxpayers and their representatives regarding their accounts on notices issued.

Typically, employees evaluate you for this job based on how well you meet their requirements. If you are selected for an entry-level position, you will have the opportunity of learning to perform all your duties and receive on-the-job training that will help you grow in this position. Subsequently, you can expect an annual salary of $62,397.

  • Average Salary: $43,422
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

States With The Most Tax Collector Jobs

Number Of Tax Collector Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1California1,673$39,567
2Texas954$28,601
3Florida770$21,165
4Illinois578$37,516
5New York559$43,710
6Georgia435$29,626
7Pennsylvania402$35,638
8Ohio375$36,297
9North Carolina370$30,855
10Washington349$48,070
11Massachusetts329$49,389
12Virginia305$31,704
13Missouri267$26,265
14New Jersey261$49,145
15Michigan261$36,858
16Colorado259$37,185
17Arizona252$31,755
18Minnesota250$41,739
19Tennessee250$27,011
20Indiana236$23,458
21Connecticut214$40,819
22Iowa197$30,098
23Maryland194$30,457
24Wisconsin193$31,706
25Oregon177$36,456
26Alabama168$24,675
27Kentucky144$32,195
28Utah136$32,159
29South Carolina135$26,186
30Louisiana125$22,574
31Oklahoma112$30,224
32Nevada98$33,577
33Arkansas84$29,713
34Kansas79$28,851
35Rhode Island73$41,864
36Mississippi67$26,833
37New Mexico63$32,117
38Nebraska59$30,048
39West Virginia55$37,867
40Delaware53$37,001
41New Hampshire53$40,964
42Idaho51$35,286
43Hawaii48$34,335
44Montana32$32,202
45Alaska29$44,416
46Vermont21$46,993
47Maine21$48,168
48South Dakota18$30,870
49North Dakota15$37,347
50Wyoming13$32,827

Tax Collector Education

Tax Collector Majors

35.9 %

Tax Collector Degrees

Bachelors

43.9 %

Associate

23.6 %

High School Diploma

17.1 %

Top Colleges for Tax Collectors

1. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

2. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

3. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

4. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-State Tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

5. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

6. SUNY at Albany

Albany, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,011

Enrollment

13,434

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

8. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

9. Baylor University

Waco, TX • Private

In-State Tuition

$45,542

Enrollment

14,159

10. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,816

Enrollment

21,047

Top Skills For a Tax Collector

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 15.5% of tax collectors listed property tax payments on their resume, but soft skills such as analytical skills and interpersonal skills are important as well.

  • Property Tax Payments, 15.5%
  • Customer Service, 15.3%
  • Motor Vehicle, 13.7%
  • Real Estate Taxes, 5.0%
  • Tax Collection, 3.8%
  • Other Skills, 46.7%

Tax Collector diversity

Tax Collector Gender Distribution

Female
Female
77%
Male
Male
23%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among tax collectors, 77.3% of them are women, while 22.7% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among tax collectors is White, which makes up 57.9% of all tax collectors.

  • The most common foreign language among tax collectors is Spanish at 61.4%.

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Top Tax Collector Employers

Most Common Employers For Tax Collector

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1City of Jacksonville$49,990$24.0310
2Navient$38,704$18.612
3San Bernardino County$35,658$17.144
4Northwest Bank$35,433$17.043
5Pioneer Credit Recovery - A Navient$34,968$16.815
6Orange County Tax Collector$33,953$16.323
7Shelby County Sheriff's Office$32,962$15.853
8Iowa Department of Transportation$32,791$15.762
9City of Dayton$32,618$15.683
10Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles$32,440$15.603