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Collection Officer Salary in the United States

How much does a Collection Officer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Collection Officer in the United States is $43,378 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $21.

However, a Collection Officer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $52,445
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $39,408 to $48,124
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $35,793
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Collection Officer Salaries

A Collection Officer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Collection Officer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Collection Officer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $38,616
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $43,029
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $47,619
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $66,267
  • Expert (over 8 years): $231,753
Levels Salary
Collectio... Level Collection Officer$38,616
Collectio... Level Collection Officer$43,029
Collectio... Level Collection Officer$47,619
Collectio... Level Collection Officer$66,267
VP of Col... Level Collection Officer$231,753
View as Graph

How Do Collection Officer Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Collection Officers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $48,029.
  • California: $47,846.
  • Massachusetts: $47,209.

Top Paying Cities for Collection Officers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $54,713
  • San Francisco: $54,114
  • Oakland: $52,974

What Skills Can Increase a Collection Officer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 18.42% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 3.57% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
  • Bankruptcy (Mentioned in 1.28% Job Postings): Bankruptcy helps people who can no longer pay their debts get a fresh start by liquidating assets to pay their debts or by creating a repayment plan.
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 18.42%
Microsoft Office 3.57%
Bankruptcy 1.28%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Collection Officer's salary.

  • Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Financial Services: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Analysis $48,150
11%
Leadership $46,849
8%
Financial Services $45,981
6%
Get Latest Data

Collection Officer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Collection Officer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Construction and Business Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Collection Officer positions in Media or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Collection Officer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Collection Officer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Construction$54,223$26.025%
Business Services$52,054$25.020%
Energy & Utilities$51,187$25.018%
Biotechnology$49,885$24.015%
Aerospace & Defense$48,584$23.012%

How Education impacts a Collection Officer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Collection Officers enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Collection Officer with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $44,531 and $47,456).

Collection Officer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Collection Officer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 5.9%
High School 33.3%
Associates 11.8%
Bachelors 47.1%
Masters 2.0%
Doctorate 0.0%
View as Graph

Collection Officer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Collection Officer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$39,408
Average $43,378/year
$48,124
$3,284
Average $3,615/month
$4,010
$758
Average $834/week
$925
$19
Average $21/hour
$23
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $48,124 $4,010 $925 $23
Average $43,378 $3,615 $834 $21
25th Percentile $39,408 $3,284 $758 $19

Most common benefits for Collection Officer

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Collection Officer

Here are companies hiring for Collection Officer and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Collection Officer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Collection Officer?

The Construction industry offers the highest average compensation for Collection Officer roles, with salaries approximately 25% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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