Bill and Account Collectors
Machines can already do 49% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 69%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Bill and Account Collectors in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 49% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 30% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2027, and 69% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 158,830 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $47,030 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 72% for contact with people.
- Also called: Account Representative, Accounts Receivable Specialist (AR Specialist), Collection Agent, Collection Specialist.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Record information about financial status of customers and status of collection efforts | 15% | 83% to 97% | |
| Locate and notify customers of delinquent accounts by mail, telephone, or personal visits to solicit payment | 15% | 82% to 87% | |
| Locate and monitor overdue accounts, using computers and a variety of automated systems | 9% | 40% to 80% | |
| Arrange for debt repayment or establish repayment schedules, based on customers' financial situations | 9% | 10% to 27% | |
| Persuade customers to pay amounts due on credit accounts, damage claims, or nonpayable checks, or to return merchandise | 9% | 10% to 27% | |
| Confer with customers by telephone or in person to determine reasons for overdue payments and to review the terms of sales, service, or credit contracts | 9% | 35% to 58% | |
| Answer customer questions regarding problems with their accounts | 7% | 20% to 40% | |
| Receive payments and post amounts paid to customer accounts | 7% | 50% to 85% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills bill and account collectors use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Lawyers61% of tasks by 2035 · US median $159,670
- Gambling Dealers58% of tasks by 2035 · US median $34,320
- Insurance Underwriters68% of tasks by 2035 · US median $81,370
- Customs and Border Protection Officers58% of tasks by 2035 · US median $76,210
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Bill and Account Collectors?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2027. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of bill and account collectors?
Machines can do 49% of the tasks of bill and account collectors today and 69% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 43-3011.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Bill and Account Collectors: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/bill-and-account-collectors/