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Debt collector

Also called revenue agent, bill collector, collection agent

Debt collectors compile debt owned to the organisation or third parties, mostly in cases when the debt is past its due date.

Will there be jobs?Average prospects29 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Customer services clerksWhat does it pay?About averageFrom about €1,000 (Bulgaria) to €5,000 (Luxembourg) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Customer services clerksWhat do I need to study?Upper secondary or vocational5 in 10 finished upper secondary or vocational training. 3 in 10 train through vocational routes.Customer services clerksWill AI change it?ModeratelyLevel 4 of 6. AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.Debt collectors and related workers · ILO

What you'd do

Debt collectors and related workers · ILO
  • Tracing and locating debtors
  • Telephoning, visiting, or writing to customers to collect money or arrange for later payments
  • Preparing reports including amounts collected, and maintain records and files related to collection work
  • Recommending legal action or discontinuation of service when payment cannot be otherwise obtained
  • Asking for and collecting charity payments
Enforce customer's debt repaymentMaintain client debt recordsPerform debt investigationShow diplomacyProcess payments+ 10 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors
  • Sitting most of the day
  • Constant contact with people, including the public
  • Some freedom to decide
  • Usually 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Very repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Bill and Account Collectors"

Will there be jobs?

Average prospects

A typical number of jobs will need filling by 2035.

People working as customer services clerks in the EU
3.83m3.74m3.78m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
18,000 new jobs 1,067,000 replacing leavers
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Customer services clerks29
All jobs29
Right now
3 of 27 countries report a shortage of debt collectors and related workers, 3 a surplus.
Debt collectors and related workers · EURES

What does it pay?

About average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,000 a month (Bulgaria) to €5,000 (Luxembourg), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among clerical support workers in the EU, women earn 9% less per hour than men. Clerical support workers · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Upper secondary or vocational

Upper secondary or vocational training in finance, banking and insurance is the usual route.

Highest qualification of customer services clerks (EU, 2025)
Degree 39%Vocational 33%General secondary 19%Basic schooling 9%
Field that teaches it
Finance, banking and insurance
Vocational route, EU
3 in 10 trainees in this field

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Moderately

AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.43 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 5 tasks
Recommending legal action or discontinuation of service when payment cannot be otherwise obtained0.54
Preparing reports including amounts collected, and maintain records and files related to collection work0.45
Asking for and collecting charity payments0.42
Tracing and locating debtors0.37
Telephoning, visiting, or writing to customers to collect money or arrange for later payments0.35

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for debt collectors and related workers. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).