Occupation salary profile

Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents

SOC 13-2081 BLS OEWS May 2025

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

National median · BLS
$62,370
▲ +4.4% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$70,520
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
56,610
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$42,000
25th$49,450
Median (50th)$62,370
75th$83,390
90th — top pay$114,550

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents

BLS projects employment of tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents to decline 1% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%. About 4,400 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
60,100 → 59,500
-600 jobs
Projected change
-1%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
4,400
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Fastest-declining jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a bachelor's degree →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Active Listening4.0
  • Reading Comprehension4.0
  • Speaking4.0
  • Critical Thinking3.9
  • Active Learning3.3
  • Mathematics3.3
  • Monitoring3.3
  • Writing3.3
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.1
  • Complex Problem Solving3.0
Top knowledge areas
  • Customer and Personal Service4.3
  • English Language4.1
  • Mathematics3.9
  • Administrative3.9
  • Law and Government3.7
  • Economics and Accounting3.5
  • Administration and Management3.4
  • Computers and Electronics2.6
Software and technology used
Alteryx softwareMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointSAP softwareTax compliance property tax management softwareTax softwareIntuit QuickBooksIntuit TurboTaxMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft Power BIMicrosoft WordADP Workforce NowAutomated tax system softwareDocument management system softwareEmail softwareFund accounting software

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents do

  • 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.
  • Answer questions from taxpayers and assist them in completing tax forms.
  • Collect taxes from individuals or businesses according to prescribed laws and regulations.
  • Determine appropriate methods of debt settlement, such as offers of compromise, wage garnishment, or seizure and sale of property.
Also called
Revenue AgentTax CollectorTax Compliance OfficerTax ExaminerCity Tax AuditorCollections SpecialistRevenue CollectorRevenue OfficerRevenue SpecialistTax Examining Technician
More job titles for this occupation (59)
Adjustment ExaminerBlock AdvisorCity CollectorCollectorCorporate Tax AssociateCredentialed Tax ExpertCustoms AgentCustoms AppraiserCustoms CollectorCustoms ExaminerCustoms GuardCustoms InspectorCustoms VerifierDelinquent Tax CollectorEstate Tax ExaminerFederal Tax AnalystGarnishment SpecialistIncome Tax AdjusterIncome Tax AnalystIncome Tax AuditorIncome Tax InvestigatorIndirect Tax AnalystInternal Revenue AgentInternal Revenue CollectorInternational Tax Services AssociateIRS Agent (Internal Revenue Service Agent)Merchandise AppraiserMerchandise ExaminerPayroll Tax AnalystPort CollectorProperty Tax AnalystReturns AgentReturns ProcessorRevenue Enforcement AgentRevenue Enforcement Collection AgentRevenue InspectorRevenue InvestigatorSales Tax AnalystSpecial AgentState and Local Tax AssociateState AuditorTax AdjusterTax Administrative AssistantTax AgentTax AnalystTax AssociateTax Collection CoordinatorTax Compliance RepresentativeTax InvestigatorTax PreparerTax ProcessorTax ProfessionalTax Revenue OfficerTax ReviewerTax SpecialistTax TechnicianTreasury AgentU.S. Revenue OfficerVerifier

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.