Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents
Determine tax liability or collect taxes from individuals or business firms according to prescribed laws and regulations.
Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents determine tax liability or collect taxes from individuals or business firms according to prescribed laws and regulations. The role reports a median annual salary of $59,740 in the US and is showing modest growth of -2% over the next decade. Entry typically requires a Bachelor's degree, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.70 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Active Learning.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £33,000 a year for National government administrative occupations (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £29,021 to £41,617 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 4111). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Technicians and associate professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 3. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
How to get here in India
The usual route into this career in India. Each step links to the official page it comes from.
- 1 · Qualification Bachelor's degree in any subject[1][2]
- 2 · Entrance exam SSC CGL, or UPSC Civil Services for IRS (Income Tax)[1][2]
- 3 · First role Inspector of Income Tax (CBDT) or Tax Assistant[1]
Rules change: check the exam body's and regulator's current notice before you apply.
- SSC — Combined Graduate Level Examination notice (read on 2026-09-27)
- UPSC — Civil Services Examination notice (read on 2026-09-27)
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Administrative
- Law and Government
- Economics and Accounting
- Administration and Management
- Computers and Electronics
A day in the life
You start the morning at your desk working through a queue of returns flagged for mismatches between reported income and the figures sent in by employers and banks. For each case you check the records, and where something does not add up you write to the taxpayer asking for receipts or statements. Mid-morning you take calls from people confused by a notice, explaining in plain words what the law requires and helping one of them fill in a form correctly. After lunch you meet a business owner and their accountant to go through a disputed deduction line by line. Later you turn to overdue accounts, sending reminder notices and deciding whether an instalment plan or firmer collection steps suit each case. Logging every contact and action in the case records is routine and endless. The satisfying moments come when a messy case finally closes fairly, with the tax paid or a refund correctly issued.
In India: In India this is a government service role in the income tax or indirect tax departments, entered through competitive exams; officers also handle assessments, searches and appeals, and are transferred between cities over a career.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually 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.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents do?
Determine tax liability or collect taxes from individuals or business firms according to prescribed laws and regulations.
What does a typical day look like in Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents?
You start the morning at your desk working through a queue of returns flagged for mismatches between reported income and the figures sent in by employers and banks. For each case you check the records, and where something does not add up you write to the taxpayer asking for receipts or statements. Mid-morning you take calls from people confused by a notice, explaining in plain words what the law requires and helping one of them fill in a form correctly.
How much does Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents earn?
The median annual salary for Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents in the US is $59,740.
What is the job outlook for Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents?
The role is showing modest growth of -2% over the next decade. Current US employment is approximately 57,600 workers.
How do I become tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents?
The typical entry education is a Bachelor's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Active Learning, Mathematics. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents?
Our AI-durability model gives Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents a score of 0.70 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents has moderate barrier to entry — moderately gated — a bachelor's degree or equivalent training is typically required.