Bill and Account Collectors Salary
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, bill and account collectors earn $58,110 at the median, or about $27.94 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $53,371 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 59.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $58K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria sits well above the national pay line for bill and account collectors, local pay runs about 24% higher than the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 58.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for bill and account collectors in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $50K | $48K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $36K | $37K |
| Richmond | $46K | $47K |
| Roanoke | $36K | $39K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level bill and account collectors (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $41K 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 |
| North Dakota | $47K | -1% | 270 |
| Pennsylvania | $47K | -1% | 6,680 |
| 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 (all 50 states + DC)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bill and account collector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 58.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bill and account collectors typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,233/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 101% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Local pay is 24% above the national median — $58K here vs. $47K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 9% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for bill and account collectors?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bill and account collectors make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $58,110 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,220, and experienced bill and account collectors can clear $78,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,858/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 58.2% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median bill and account collectors salary is worth about $53,371 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.