According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bill and Account Collectors (aka debt collectors) “locate and notify customers of delinquent accounts by mail, telephone, or personal visit to solicit payment. Duties include receiving payment and posting amount to customer’s account; preparing statements to credit department if customer fails to respond; initiating repossession proceedings or service disconnection; and keeping records of collection and status of accounts.”Getty
There are few things more unwelcome in life than to receive a call from a debt collector (one that’s worse, perhaps, is a visit from the “man from the draft board” back in the day). But with Americans having racked up $13.51 trillion in total household debt, those unwelcome calls are likely to continue as business booms for debt collectors.
However, there is one question few tend to ask about debt collectors, even though their business is money: How much do debt collectors make? And for that matter, how much do debt collectors make on average in every state? Using occupational data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we’ve analyzed and compiled a round-up of the average salary of a debt collector in each U.S. state. Read on for a full breakdown of where debt collectors make the most money, and where they’re making the least.
10 States Where Debt Collectors Earn The Most Money
The national average annual wage of a debt collector is $37,650, according to the BLS. Here’s a breakdown of the top-10 states in which debt collectors earn the most:
| Rank | State | Mean Annual Wage |
| 1 | Connecticut | $46,470 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $44,700 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $43,920 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $43,530 |
| 5 | California | $42,830 |
| 6 | Alaska | $41,830 |
| 7 | Vermont | $41,390 |
| 8 | Maryland | $41,160 |
| 9 | New York | $40,510 |
| 10 | Hawaii | $39,980 |
The states that pay debt collectors the most on average are geographically located in the northeast and Pacific, with the exception of Maryland, which is technically a southern state, according to Census-designated regions.
10 States Where Debt Collectors Earn The Least Money
Here’s a breakdown of the top-10 states in which debt collectors earn the least:
| Rank | State | Mean Annual Wage |
| 50 | Arkansas | $31,660 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $32,430 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $32,440 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $32,460 |
| 46 | Utah | $32,540 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $32,560 |
| 44 | Kansas | $32,760 |
| 43 | Missouri | $32,820 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $33,080 |
| 41 | Montana | $33,290 |
This list is dominated by states of the South, Midwest and West. More specifically, the states can be broken down into these Census divisions:
- East South Central: No. 49 Tennessee; No. 45 Mississippi
- Mountain: No. 46 Utah; No. 41 Montana
- South Atlantic: No. 42 West Virginia
- West North Central: No. 48 South Dakota; No. 44 Kansas; No. 43 Missouri
- West South Central: No. 50 Arkansas; No. 47 Louisiana
Check out the full debt report here >>
The Top Debt Collection Agencies In The US
Below are 10 major debt collection agencies, several of them ranking among the top debt collectors for most total complaints, such as Encore Capital Group, according to a report by U.S. PIRG Education Fund.
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