GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Bill and Account Collectors
Best States to Be a Bill and Account Collectors
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a bill and account collectors salary goes furthest in Alaska — a $60,810 BLS median worth $59,409 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 125.1).
Which US states are best for a bill and account collectors after cost of living and tax?
For a bill and account collectors, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Alaska #1: a $60,810 BLS median becomes $59,409 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 125.1). Virginia ranks last ($41,594, index 87.6). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Alaska ranks #1 of 51 states for a bill and account collectors. Index 100 = the average state; 125.1 means pay goes 25.1% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedBill and Account Collectors — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $60,810 | — | 102.4 | $59,409 | 125.1 |
| 2 | Vermont | $57,630 | $1,512 | 98.0 | $57,288 | 120.6 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $57,930 | $1,682 | 103.6 | $54,288 | 114.3 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $62,230 | $2,670 | 109.9 | $54,194 | 114.1 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $59,800 | $2,770 | 105.8 | $53,926 | 113.5 |
| 6 | South Dakota | $46,620 | — | 88.6 | $52,627 | 110.8 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $46,660 | — | 89.0 | $52,451 | 110.4 |
| 8 | Kentucky | $48,330 | $1,802 | 90.2 | $51,606 | 108.6 |
| 9 | California | $57,930 | $1,572 | 110.7 | $50,901 | 107.1 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $49,090 | $1,450 | 94.1 | $50,630 | 106.6 |
| 11 | Iowa | $46,000 | $1,708 | 87.8 | $50,468 | 106.2 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $52,000 | $1,350 | 102.3 | $49,521 | 104.2 |
| 13 | New Mexico | $46,560 | $1,082 | 92.2 | $49,319 | 103.8 |
| 14 | Ohio | $46,230 | $489 | 92.8 | $49,304 | 103.8 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | $44,820 | $1,591 | 87.8 | $49,211 | 103.6 |
| 16 | Kansas | $45,760 | $1,754 | 90.1 | $48,859 | 102.9 |
| 17 | Nevada | $48,750 | — | 100.0 | $48,760 | 102.6 |
| 18 | Maine | $48,890 | $1,685 | 97.0 | $48,640 | 102.4 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $49,580 | $1,883 | 98.6 | $48,364 | 101.8 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $43,960 | $1,253 | 89.5 | $47,719 | 100.5 |
| 21 | Michigan | $47,130 | $1,757 | 96.2 | $47,157 | 99.3 |
| 22 | Colorado | $50,090 | $1,544 | 103.1 | $47,108 | 99.2 |
| 23 | Texas | $45,710 | — | 97.1 | $47,096 | 99.1 |
| 24 | Indiana | $45,240 | $1,327 | 93.3 | $47,052 | 99.0 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $52,510 | $1,353 | 108.8 | $47,017 | 99.0 |
| 26 | Arizona | $47,740 | $719 | 100.7 | $46,705 | 98.3 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $43,210 | $1,159 | 90.1 | $46,670 | 98.2 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $53,570 | $2,541 | 110.0 | $46,411 | 97.7 |
| 29 | Montana | $45,420 | $1,542 | 94.6 | $46,361 | 97.6 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $46,660 | $1,432 | 97.6 | $46,353 | 97.6 |
| 31 | Georgia | $46,300 | $1,849 | 96.3 | $46,162 | 97.2 |
| 32 | Illinois | $48,140 | $2,242 | 100.0 | $45,917 | 96.7 |
| 33 | Maryland | $50,010 | $2,043 | 105.0 | $45,701 | 96.2 |
| 34 | Oregon | $50,880 | $3,648 | 103.4 | $45,696 | 96.2 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $42,110 | — | 92.7 | $45,431 | 95.6 |
| 36 | Washington | $48,460 | — | 107.0 | $45,284 | 95.3 |
| 37 | Florida | $46,410 | — | 103.4 | $44,878 | 94.5 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $43,140 | $1,067 | 93.7 | $44,878 | 94.5 |
| 39 | Delaware | $46,680 | $1,914 | 99.8 | $44,852 | 94.4 |
| 40 | Missouri | $41,760 | $1,082 | 90.8 | $44,791 | 94.3 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $40,920 | — | 91.9 | $44,541 | 93.8 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $42,910 | $1,282 | 94.3 | $44,132 | 92.9 |
| 43 | Utah | $45,240 | $2,058 | 98.9 | $43,678 | 91.9 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $39,110 | $1,317 | 86.9 | $43,472 | 91.5 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $39,130 | $799 | 88.2 | $43,456 | 91.5 |
| 46 | Alabama | $40,330 | $1,752 | 88.8 | $43,433 | 91.4 |
| 47 | New Hampshire | $44,450 | — | 104.2 | $42,673 | 89.8 |
| 48 | Idaho | $41,880 | $1,265 | 95.5 | $42,532 | 89.5 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $37,680 | $853 | 87.0 | $42,353 | 89.2 |
| 50 | New York | $47,170 | $1,989 | 107.9 | $41,865 | 88.1 |
| 51 | Virginia | $43,770 | $1,717 | 101.1 | $41,594 | 87.6 |
"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.
Where does your salary go furthest?
Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.
In Alaska, a $60,810 salary is worth about $59,409 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $0 (no state income tax) · take-home $60,810 · BEA cost of living 102.4 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $68,645, a $9,237 gain over Alaska.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $68,645 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $67,219 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $66,872 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $66,857 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $66,657 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $66,648 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $66,191 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $65,938 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $65,605 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $65,039 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $64,750 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $64,671 | 89.5 |
Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).
Bill and Account Collectors — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a bill and account collectors?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Alaska is the best state for a bill and account collectors: a BLS median of $60,810 is worth $59,409 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 102.4), an index of 125.1 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. District of Columbia has the highest headline BLS median for a bill and account collectors at $62,230, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #4 of 51 on real pay (index 114.1). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a bill and account collectors salary go least far?
- Virginia ranks last of 51 states for a bill and account collectors: a $43,770 BLS median is worth only $41,594 after tax and cost of living (index 87.6). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.
Compare other occupations
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- Fast Food and Counter WorkersCalifornia
- General and Operations ManagersSouth Dakota
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- CashiersWashington
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNorth Dakota
- Stockers and Order FillersWyoming
- Customer Service RepresentativesIowa
- Office Clerks, GeneralNorth Dakota
- Waiters and WaitressesVermont
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersWashington
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Related on GeraJobs
- Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
- Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
- Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a bill and account collectors is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.