Bill and Account Collectors Salary
In Decatur, AL, bill and account collectors earn $42,180 at the median, or about $20.28 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.21), which stretches that salary to about $48,366 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $961/month, about 33.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $42K get you in Decatur?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Decatur’s Regional Price Parity (87.21). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About bill and account collectors
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What this looks like in Decatur
Bill and account collectors pay in Decatur tracks closely to the national median, $42K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $961/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.21 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for bill and account collectors in metros near Decatur, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $43K | $47K |
| Huntsville | $45K | $49K |
| Mobile | $40K | $45K |
| Montgomery | $38K | $43K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Decatur, AL
Entry-level bill and account collectors (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $15K spread from bottom to top.
Bill and Account Collectors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Bill and Account Collectors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $62K | +32% | 240 |
| Alaska | $61K | +29% | 310 |
| Massachusetts | $60K | +27% | 2,510 |
| Connecticut | $58K | +23% | 900 |
| California | $58K | +23% | 13,880 |
| Vermont | $58K | +23% | 80 |
| Hawaii | $54K | +14% | 180 |
| New Jersey | $53K | +12% | 3,310 |
| Rhode Island | $52K | +11% | 370 |
| Oregon | $51K | +8% | 830 |
| Colorado | $50K | +7% | 1,670 |
| Maryland | $50K | +6% | 2,090 |
| Minnesota | $50K | +5% | 2,860 |
| Wisconsin | $49K | +4% | 2,570 |
| Maine | $49K | +4% | 410 |
| Nevada | $49K | +4% | 2,350 |
| Washington | $48K | +3% | 2,260 |
| Kentucky | $48K | +3% | 1,740 |
| Illinois | $48K | +2% | 5,080 |
| Arizona | $48K | +2% | 6,300 |
| New York | $47K | +0% | 8,800 |
| Michigan | $47K | +0% | 2,990 |
| Delaware | $47K | -1% | 990 |
| Pennsylvania | $47K | -1% | 6,680 |
| North Dakota | $47K | -1% | 270 |
| South Dakota | $47K | -1% | 1,120 |
| New Mexico | $47K | -1% | 440 |
| Florida | $46K | -1% | 13,180 |
| Georgia | $46K | -2% | 5,280 |
| Ohio | $46K | -2% | 6,620 |
| Iowa | $46K | -2% | 830 |
| Kansas | $46K | -3% | 1,350 |
| Texas | $46K | -3% | 21,720 |
| Montana | $45K | -3% | 640 |
| Utah | $45K | -4% | 2,430 |
| Indiana | $45K | -4% | 2,690 |
| Oklahoma | $45K | -5% | 1,740 |
| New Hampshire | $44K | -5% | 1,120 |
| West Virginia | $44K | -7% | 670 |
| Virginia | $44K | -7% | 4,590 |
| Nebraska | $43K | -8% | 730 |
| South Carolina | $43K | -8% | 4,430 |
| North Carolina | $43K | -9% | 5,460 |
| Wyoming | $42K | -10% | 180 |
| Idaho | $42K | -11% | 510 |
| Missouri | $42K | -11% | 3,770 |
| Tennessee | $41K | -13% | 3,890 |
| Alabama | $40K | -14% | 2,090 |
| Louisiana | $39K | -17% | 1,690 |
| Arkansas | $39K | -17% | 850 |
| Mississippi | $38K | -20% | 1,150 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track bill and account collectors salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bill and account collector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Decatur?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 33.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $961/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for bill and account collectors in Decatur?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bill and account collectors typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,069/month. At HUD’s $961/month FMR, rent would take 46% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is bill and account collector a high-paying job in Decatur?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $42K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Decatur compare to the national average for bill and account collectors?
Decatur pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bill and account collectors make in Decatur, AL?
The median is $42,180 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,480, and experienced bill and account collectors can clear $49,920. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Decatur?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,832/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $961/month, which eats 33.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a bill and account collectors salary go in Decatur?
Decatur has a Regional Price Parity of 87.21 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median bill and account collectors salary is worth about $48,366 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do bill and account collectors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.