ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Collections Associate Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

KAHANA & FELD LLP

Collections Specialist

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$30 - $35/hr

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience. * At least 3 years of collections or ...

Professional Search Group - Orange County

Be Seen First

B2B Collections Specialist

Santa Fe Springs, CA · On-site

$26 - $30/hr

  • Medical

Professional Search Group OC is sourcing a B2B Collections Specialist to manage accounts receivable ... Associate's or Bachelor's degree is a plus, but not required. Apply to this Temporary opportunity ...

Lobel Financial Corporation

Be Seen First

Collections Call Monitoring Specialist

Anaheim, CA · On-site

$23 - $25/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

High School or GED required, associate or bachelor's degree in finance or related field preferred. * 1-3 years of experience in call center quality assurance, monitoring, or collections operations

Acer

Be Seen First

Credit and Collections Analyst (English/Spanish)

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$80K - $90K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

This role is responsible for credit risk assessment, collections, dispute resolution, and accounts ... Professional certifications such as CBA (Credit Business Associate) or CCE (Certified Credit ...

previous pagenext page

Showing results 21-40

All JobsCollections Associate JobsCollections Associate Jobs in California

Collections Associate information

See California salary details

$11

$20

$30

How much do collections associate jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 17, 2026, the average hourly pay for collections associate in California is $20.38, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.59 and $22.79 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a collections associate?

Collections Associates are professionals responsible for contacting individuals or businesses to collect overdue payments on accounts. They typically work for banks, credit card companies, medical offices, or other organizations that extend credit. Their duties include negotiating repayment plans, updating account information, and resolving customer disputes regarding outstanding debts. Collections Associates must have strong communication and negotiation skills, as well as a good understanding of relevant laws and regulations.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a collections associate?

To thrive as a Collections Associate, you need strong negotiation skills, attention to detail, and a high school diploma or equivalent. Familiarity with collections software, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and basic accounting tools is typically required. Excellent communication, patience, and resilience are vital soft skills for managing difficult conversations and maintaining professionalism. These abilities are crucial for effectively recovering outstanding debts while preserving customer relationships and adhering to legal and ethical standards.

How does a collections associate typically collaborate with other departments to resolve outstanding accounts?

Collections Associates often work closely with teams such as customer service, billing, and sales to address and resolve outstanding accounts. They may coordinate with the billing department to ensure invoices are accurate, or with customer service to better understand client issues that may be impacting payments. Effective collaboration helps Collections Associates develop repayment plans that are satisfactory for both the company and the customer. This teamwork is essential for resolving disputes quickly and maintaining positive customer relationships.

What is the difference between Collections Associate vs Accounts Receivable Clerk?

AspectCollections AssociateAccounts Receivable Clerk
Required CredentialsHigh school diploma; some roles prefer associate degree or relevant experienceHigh school diploma; some roles prefer associate degree or accounting coursework
Work EnvironmentOffice setting; interacting with clients and finance teamsOffice setting; processing invoices and managing accounts
Employer & Industry UsageFinancial institutions, healthcare, retailCorporate finance, accounting departments, small to large businesses
Common Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding roles related to debt collection and customer accountsManaging incoming payments and account reconciliation

While both roles involve handling financial transactions, a Collections Associate primarily focuses on recovering overdue payments by contacting customers, whereas an Accounts Receivable Clerk manages invoicing, records payments, and maintains account accuracy. Both positions require strong communication skills and attention to detail, but their core responsibilities differ in scope and daily tasks.

What are the most commonly searched types of Collections jobs in California?

The most popular types of Collections jobs in California are:

What job categories do people searching Collections Associate jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Collections Associate jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Collections Associate jobs?

Cities in California with the most Collections Associate job openings:

Collections Associate jobs near you
Infographic showing various Collections Associate job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 71% Full Time, 25% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $42,388 per year, or $20.4 per hour.

Collections Specialist III

California Coast Credit

San Diego, CA • On-site

$25.21 - $31.52/hr

Full-time

Re-posted 6 days ago

Job description

Under the general supervision of the Assistant Manager, Collections or Supervisor, Collections, this position is accountable for collecting on the highest stage of past due loans and minimize or prevent financial losses for the Credit Union. The main goals are to reduce delinquency, minimize loan losses and protect assets, while providing exceptional service to credit union members and employees.


DIMENSIONS


  • To effectively collect on and manage the credit union’s seriously past due loans; total loan portfolio of $451,000,000
  • Establish and follow up on payment arrangements to cure delinquency
  • Maintain a productivity level consistent with those established for the department
  • Maintain an “at standard” scorecard average of 85%


Supervisory responsibilities


This position reports directly to the Assistant Manager, Collections or Supervisor, Collections. There are no direct reports to this classification.


NATURE & SCOPE


  • Performs activities to collect past due amounts on seriously delinquent loans.
  • Works with member to determine reason for delinquency and establish payment arrangements.
  • Determines next course of action to negotiate with member to return loan to performing status.
  • Follows up on promises to pay and broken promises.
  • Performs extensive skip tracing to locate member.
  • Provides high quality, consistent work and documentation.
  • Utilizes critical thinking and negotiating skills to resolve difficult situations.
  • Initiates demand letters, field chases or attorney letters as needed.
  • Reviews and recommends loans for repossession action or charge off.
  • Evaluates and recommends accounts for Workout or the Member Assistance Program.
  • Effectively handles escalated, repossession, charge off, legal or Bankrupt calls.
  • Produces and maintains reports and/or handles special projects assigned by management.
  • Displays full knowledge and understanding of other credit union departments and functions.
  • Supports department and corporate goals and objectives.
  • Performs other relevant and related duties, as required.


Education, skills, & abilities


The Eight Superpowers


  1. Provides leadership through modeling of behaviors and bringing forward new ideas and new ways of doing things.
  2. Demonstrates empathy, self-reflection, and adjustment of own behaviors, showing effective emotional intelligence.
  3. Practices active listening in communications with others, giving someone full attention and listening to understand, not just respond.
  4. Demonstrates grit, persisting in application of knowledge, skills, and behaviors to achieve goals and address obstacles.
  5. Models intrinsic motivation; is self-driven to meet or exceed objectives, timelines, and quality measures while building and sustaining effective relationships.
  6. Applies creative problem-solving to provide clarity, handle resources under one’s control, and address stressful situations; finds ways to meet individual, team, and member goals, by navigating through barriers.
  7. Shares a diverse set of perspectives, work and life experiences, as well as religious and cultural differences. Actively seeks out differences in values, ideas, and priorities. Respects and value the differences of others, including but not limited to: national origin, language, race, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, veteran status, and family structures. Believes a diverse workplace is essential to the company’s success.
  8. Values and shows appreciating for the unique qualities and experiences of each person-inclusion; appreciates and effectively utilizes the talents and skills of others to achieve objectives; is open to the perspective of others; and encourages collaboration, flexibility and fairness. Makes each employee feel valued and supported for their unique qualities.



Other Education, Skills, and Abilities


  • Associate’s degree or equivalent experience preferred with approximately 5-7 years of applicable collections experience.
  • Must have working knowledge of FDCPA guidelines and practices.
  • Experience with Microsoft Applications (Excel, Word and Outlook).
  • Working knowledge of business machines such as telephone systems, computers, copiers, fax machines, etc.
  • Strong analytical, time management and organizational skills.
  • Must have the ability to work well individually and as a member of a collections team.
  • Excellent verbal/written communication skills; interpersonal skills, combined with flexibility and diplomacy.
  • Ability to interface with members and credit union staff at all levels in courteous and professional manner in person or by phone.
  • Must be self motivated and goal oriented.
  • Ability to appear for work on time, follow direction from a supervisor, interact effectively with co-workers, understand and follow policies and procedures and accept constructive criticism.

MAJOR ACCOUNTABILITIES

  • Performs daily collection activities to reduce delinquency, minimize loan losses and protect credit union assets
  • Provides credit counseling and exceptional service to resolve difficult member situations
  • Analyzes, evaluates and makes recommendations to reduce delinquency

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Excellent ability to communicate, both verbally and in writing; ability to tolerate periods of continuous sitting; ability to lift up to 10 lbs.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

  • Work is primarily performed within a cubicle office setting. Subject to standard background

noise found in an office environment.


Note: Staff is expected to perform various tasks, projects and administrative duties as assigned.

Management reserves the right to assign or change duties and tasks to this position at their discretion.


Salary Range (Hourly)

$25.2199 - $31.5249