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Business & Finance

Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents

Determine tax liability or collect taxes from individuals or business firms according to prescribed laws and regulations.

Median salary (BLS)

$62,370

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$42k – $115k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $112,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: Associate degree

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How to qualify

Estimate

Cost to qualify

$8,500–$25,000

Time to qualify

2.5 yr

Renewal

—

  1. 1

    Associate degree (community college)

    Degree

    Two years at in-district rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $4,050/yr, plus ~$1,200/yr books & supplies.

    $8,000–$22,000 · 2 years source

  2. 2

    Industry certification (optional for many roles)

    Certification

    Role-dependent — e.g. CPA, Series 7/65, PMP, SHRM. Not always required, but often expected for advancement.

    $500–$3,000 · 6 months source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents

    Entry / Junior

    $42,000

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents

    Established

    $62,370

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents

    Senior

    $88,460

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Send notices to taxpayers when accounts are delinquent.
  • •Confer with taxpayers or their representatives to discuss the issues, laws, and regulations involved in returns, and to resolve problems with returns.
  • •Notify taxpayers of any overpayment or underpayment, and either issue a refund or request further payment.
  • •Maintain records for each case, including contacts, telephone numbers, and actions taken.
  • •Contact taxpayers by mail or telephone to address discrepancies and to request supporting documentation.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Business & Finance

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.