Skip to content
AffordMap
COL-adjusted ranking

Best Cities for Bill and Account Collectorss by Take-Home Pay

The cities that pay Bill and Account Collectorss the most on paper aren't usually the best deals once rent and prices are factored in. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ranks first with a COL-adjusted equivalent of $64,445/year, better purchasing power than San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara's higher nominal pay of $71,160. The table below uses BLS OEWS May 2024 salary data and BEA Regional Price Parities.

Highest nominal pay

#1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$71,160
#2 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$68,290
#3 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles$62,810

Best purchasing power

#1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$64,445
#2 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$59,069
#3 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles$57,836

Top 25 metros by purchasing power

Ranked by COL-adjusted salary. Metros with fewer than 100 employed bill and account collectorss excluded.

Rank
Metro
Nominal
COL-adj.
#1
$71,160
$64,445
#2
$68,290
$59,069
#3
$62,810
$57,836
#4
Greensboro-High Point
30% rent burden
$53,560
$57,678
#5
Modesto
36% rent burden
$58,870
$56,546
#6
New Haven
40% rent burden
$59,090
$56,513
#7
$57,410
$55,873
#8
Wausau
27% rent burden
$50,710
$54,733
#9
$59,520
$54,706
#10
$58,200
$54,561
#11
Pocatello
29% rent burden
$47,910
$53,886
#12
$50,000
$53,723
#13
Visalia
33% rent burden
$53,550
$53,641
#14
$48,680
$53,086
#15
$55,880
$53,007
#16
Springfield
41% rent burden
$50,870
$52,956
#17
Lexington-Fayette
32% rent burden
$48,340
$52,040
#18
Anchorage
30% rent burden
$54,850
$52,030
#19
Milwaukee-Waukesha
32% rent burden
$50,340
$51,929
#20
Sioux City
31% rent burden
$44,860
$51,891
#21
Macon-Bibb County
34% rent burden
$45,910
$51,858
#22
Providence-Warwick
39% rent burden
$52,670
$51,754
#23
Raleigh-Cary
41% rent burden
$50,770
$51,722
#24
Sioux Falls
30% rent burden
$46,630
$51,451
#25
$56,010
$51,442

COL-adjusted = nominal salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). Rent burden = annual 2BR FMR as % of nominal salary. Sources: BLS OEWS May 2024, BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents.

Common questions

What does "COL-adjusted pay" mean for Bill and Account Collectorss?

COL-adjusted pay divides the BLS median salary by the BEA Regional Price Parity index (100 = national average). A salary of $71,160 in a city with RPP 120 has the same purchasing power as $59,300 at national average prices.

Why doesn't New York or San Francisco top this list?

Both cities pay above-average salaries, but rent and everyday costs eat most of that premium. A bill and account collectors in New York might earn 30% more but pay 60-80% more in rent. The net result is often less purchasing power than mid-cost metros.

How is purchasing power calculated?

Purchasing power equals nominal median salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). BEA's Regional Price Parities measure relative price levels across metro areas, updated annually from the National Income and Product Accounts.

What's the most affordable metro for Bill and Account Collectorss?

Wausau has one of the lowest rent burdens for Bill and Account Collectorss in this dataset. HUD FMR for a 2-bedroom is $1,147/month, with a median salary of $50,710.

Where do Bill and Account Collectorss get paid the most in nominal terms?

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara pays the highest nominal median salary at $71,160/year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. But check the COL-adjusted column before accepting any relocation offer.

National salary breakdown for Bill and Account CollectorssView →How to become a bill and account collectorsGuide →Compare two cities side by sideCompare →