Student Account Specialist Jobs
Student Account Specialist jobs are open across higher education, fintech, healthcare billing, and financial services, from entry-level to senior and team-lead positions, with specializations in tuition billing, collections, and accounts receivable. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
Find JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 27+ Student Account Specialist jobs
Position Summary
The Student Accounts Specialist independently manages current and former student accounts receivable from identification of outstanding balances through payment, resolution, referral, or other appropriate disposition. The position proactively pursues collections, establishes and monitors payment arrangements, maintains accurate records, and works across departments to resolve discrepancies and minimize aged receivables.
Success requires professional persistence, sound judgment, financial accuracy, and a student-focused approach that balances empathy with clear expectations and accountability. The Specialist prioritizes work, follows through without repeated direction, and escalates matters outside established authority while complying with institutional policies and applicable requirements.
Essential Responsibilities — Student Accounts & Collections
- Manage the assigned portfolio; identify delinquent or at-risk balances, prioritize outreach, and follow accounts through resolution or appropriate escalation.
- Contact current and former students through approved channels; explain balances, obligations, deadlines, payment options, consequences, and next steps.
- Negotiate reasonable payment arrangements within institutional authority; monitor commitments and promptly address missed payments or other barriers.
- Conduct approved account research and skip-tracing; prepare referrals to external collection agencies when warranted and monitor placements and recoveries.
- Maintain persistent, respectful, and solution-oriented collection practices while recognizing matters that require leadership approval.
Student Service & Communication
- Respond accurately and promptly to student account questions; listen to individual circumstances and communicate with empathy, confidence, and appropriate firmness.
- Maintain composure during difficult conversations, encourage proactive communication, and avoid promises or exceptions beyond authorized limits.
- Protect confidential student and financial information in all interactions.
Financial Accuracy & Reconciliation
- Verify account balances and transactions before collection or referral; coordinate with Financial Aid on adjustments, withdrawals, returns, cancellations, and eligibility changes.
- Work with Accounting and other departments to resolve discrepancies; receive, process, record, and reconcile payments and assigned accounts under established controls.
- Maintain complete transaction histories and audit trails; identify recurring errors and recommend corrective process improvements.
Portfolio Performance & Reporting
- Independently plan daily activity based on account aging, value, payment status, and risk; maintain timely, documented outreach and follow-up.
- Meet established collection and receivables goals; monitor results, adjust strategies, and complete account reviews and reconciliations on schedule.
- Prepare accurate weekly, monthly, and requested reports; explain trends, variances, risks, and recommended actions to the President.
Compliance & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Follow applicable federal and state requirements, contractual obligations, institutional procedures, privacy rules, debt collection practices, and payment-processing controls.
- Document account activity and communications objectively and promptly for audits, disputes, regulatory reviews, and third-party collections; promptly report compliance or internal-control concerns.
- Partner with Financial Aid, Accounting, Registrar, Campus Leadership, and other departments to resolve student account issues and reduce preventable debt.
Key Performance Expectations
- Collections and recovery results; reduction in aged receivables; active payment-plan performance and missed-payment follow-up.
- Timeliness and effectiveness of outreach, account resolution, and escalation; accuracy of balances, posting, reconciliation, reporting, and documentation.
- Compliance, professional student communication, independent workload management, initiative, and process improvement.
Education & Experience
- High school diploma or equivalent and at least two years of relevant experience in collections, accounts receivable, student accounts, financial services, or a related function required.
- Associate or bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business, or related field preferred.
- Independent delinquent-account portfolio management strongly preferred; higher education, financial aid, payment plans, collection agencies, reconciliation, and financial reporting experience preferred.
Institutional Expectations
- Support CHEI’s mission, “Transforming Lives and Empowering Futures,” and demonstrate accountability, initiative, collaboration, responsible stewardship, and a nonprofit mindset.
- Participate in required training, at least two professional development activities annually, graduation ceremonies, and appropriate institution-sponsored events.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Physical Requirements
- Prolonged desk/computer work; regular telephone, video, email, and in-person communication; ability to move throughout facilities and occasionally lift up to 20 pounds.
Position Summary
The Student Accounts Specialist independently manages current and former student accounts receivable from identification of outstanding balances through payment, resolution, referral, or other appropriate disposition. The position proactively pursues collections, establishes and monitors payment arrangements, maintains accurate records, and works across departments to resolve discrepancies and minimize aged receivables.
Success requires professional persistence, sound judgment, financial accuracy, and a student-focused approach that balances empathy with clear expectations and accountability. The Specialist prioritizes work, follows through without repeated direction, and escalates matters outside established authority while complying with institutional policies and applicable requirements.
Essential Responsibilities — Student Accounts & Collections
- Manage the assigned portfolio; identify delinquent or at-risk balances, prioritize outreach, and follow accounts through resolution or appropriate escalation.
- Contact current and former students through approved channels; explain balances, obligations, deadlines, payment options, consequences, and next steps.
- Negotiate reasonable payment arrangements within institutional authority; monitor commitments and promptly address missed payments or other barriers.
- Conduct approved account research and skip-tracing; prepare referrals to external collection agencies when warranted and monitor placements and recoveries.
- Maintain persistent, respectful, and solution-oriented collection practices while recognizing matters that require leadership approval.
Student Service & Communication
- Respond accurately and promptly to student account questions; listen to individual circumstances and communicate with empathy, confidence, and appropriate firmness.
- Maintain composure during difficult conversations, encourage proactive communication, and avoid promises or exceptions beyond authorized limits.
- Protect confidential student and financial information in all interactions.
Financial Accuracy & Reconciliation
- Verify account balances and transactions before collection or referral; coordinate with Financial Aid on adjustments, withdrawals, returns, cancellations, and eligibility changes.
- Work with Accounting and other departments to resolve discrepancies; receive, process, record, and reconcile payments and assigned accounts under established controls.
- Maintain complete transaction histories and audit trails; identify recurring errors and recommend corrective process improvements.
Portfolio Performance & Reporting
- Independently plan daily activity based on account aging, value, payment status, and risk; maintain timely, documented outreach and follow-up.
- Meet established collection and receivables goals; monitor results, adjust strategies, and complete account reviews and reconciliations on schedule.
- Prepare accurate weekly, monthly, and requested reports; explain trends, variances, risks, and recommended actions to the President.
Compliance & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Follow applicable federal and state requirements, contractual obligations, institutional procedures, privacy rules, debt collection practices, and payment-processing controls.
- Document account activity and communications objectively and promptly for audits, disputes, regulatory reviews, and third-party collections; promptly report compliance or internal-control concerns.
- Partner with Financial Aid, Accounting, Registrar, Campus Leadership, and other departments to resolve student account issues and reduce preventable debt.
Key Performance Expectations
- Collections and recovery results; reduction in aged receivables; active payment-plan performance and missed-payment follow-up.
- Timeliness and effectiveness of outreach, account resolution, and escalation; accuracy of balances, posting, reconciliation, reporting, and documentation.
- Compliance, professional student communication, independent workload management, initiative, and process improvement.
Education & Experience
- High school diploma or equivalent and at least two years of relevant experience in collections, accounts receivable, student accounts, financial services, or a related function required.
- Associate or bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business, or related field preferred.
- Independent delinquent-account portfolio management strongly preferred; higher education, financial aid, payment plans, collection agencies, reconciliation, and financial reporting experience preferred.
Institutional Expectations
- Support CHEI’s mission, “Transforming Lives and Empowering Futures,” and demonstrate accountability, initiative, collaboration, responsible stewardship, and a nonprofit mindset.
- Participate in required training, at least two professional development activities annually, graduation ceremonies, and appropriate institution-sponsored events.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Physical Requirements
- Prolonged desk/computer work; regular telephone, video, email, and in-person communication; ability to move throughout facilities and occasionally lift up to 20 pounds.
See All 27 Student Account Specialist Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsStudent Account Specialist Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Education
- Science & Research
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in student account specialist jobs.
- Associate or bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business, or a related field
- Experience with student information systems such as Banner, PeopleSoft, or Colleague
- Knowledge of Title IV federal financial aid regulations and FERPA compliance
- Proficiency in accounts receivable, billing reconciliation, and collections processes
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for student and family interactions
- Experience with Microsoft Excel for account reporting and payment reconciliation
Tips for Your Student Account Specialist Job Search
Tailor your resume for billing systems
List the specific student information systems and billing platforms you've used, such as Banner, PeopleSoft, or Colleague. Hiring managers scan for these names directly. Generic phrases like 'experience with software' won't pass applicant tracking system filters for this role.
Highlight compliance and regulatory experience
Student account roles touch Title IV federal aid rules and FERPA privacy requirements. If you've worked with either, name them explicitly on your resume. Candidates who can show they understand regulatory boundaries move faster through screening than those who don't.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists student account specialist openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Target postings by institution type
Community colleges, private universities, and for-profit institutions all hire student account specialists but prioritize different skills. Community colleges often need high-volume collections experience. Private universities weight customer service and financial counseling more heavily. Match your application angle to the institution type.
Prepare for scenario-based interview questions
Interviewers for this role almost always ask how you'd handle a student disputing a charge or a past-due account. Prepare two or three specific examples from past work that show how you resolved billing conflicts while maintaining student relationships and institutional policy.
Negotiate your offer using total compensation
Many student account specialist positions at colleges and universities come with tuition benefits, defined-contribution retirement plans, and generous leave. When evaluating an offer, ask HR for the full benefits summary before comparing it to private-sector offers that may pay more base salary.
Student Account Specialist Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most student account specialists?
Howard University, Old Dominion University, and Johns Hopkins University are hiring the most student account specialists right now, with openings concentrated in Maryland, Texas, and Oklahoma, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Colleges and universities make up the largest share of employers, though healthcare billing and fintech companies also post regularly.
How many student account specialist jobs are remote?
About 57% of student account specialist openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, though fully on-site positions remain common at institutions that handle in-person student payments and financial counseling. Remote roles tend to cluster in accounts receivable processing and back-office billing work rather than front-facing student services positions.
How do you become a student account specialist?
Start by earning an associate or bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or business administration. Gain hands-on experience in accounts receivable, billing, or customer-facing financial services through internships or entry-level roles. Learn the student information systems common in higher education, such as Banner or PeopleSoft. Familiarize yourself with Title IV federal aid rules and FERPA before applying to institutional roles.
Can you get a student account specialist job with little experience?
Yes, many institutions hire entry-level candidates who have customer service or basic accounting experience, even without direct student billing background. Emphasize any exposure to payment processing, account reconciliation, or regulatory compliance. Part-time work in a university bursar office or financial aid department is especially useful because it shows familiarity with the institutional environment and student-facing workflows.
What does the student account specialist interview process look like?
Most hiring processes include a phone or video screen focused on billing experience and software familiarity, followed by one or two rounds of in-person or virtual interviews with the bursar's office manager and HR. Expect scenario questions about resolving student billing disputes and handling past-due accounts. Some institutions add a short written exercise or ask you to walk through a sample account reconciliation.
Where can I find and apply to student account specialist jobs?
You can find and apply to student account specialist jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search for roles that match your experience level, institution type, and location preference, then apply directly to each listing that fits.
See All 27 Student Account Specialist Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Jobs