<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
     This schedule  contains summary  financial  information  extracted from the
Form 10-Q for the  Quarter  Ended  September  30, 1998 and is  qualified  in its
entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                                                       0001027574
<NAME>                                     Outsourcing Solutions, Inc.
<MULTIPLIER>                                                     1,000

       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                                    9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                          DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                             JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                               SEP-30-1998
<CASH>                                                          33,748
<SECURITIES>                                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                                   41,302
<ALLOWANCES>                                                     1,276
<INVENTORY>                                                     41,063
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                               122,410
<PP&E>                                                          87,847
<DEPRECIATION>                                                  42,524
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                 628,981
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                                          111,946
<BONDS>                                                              0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                0
<PREFERRED>                                                     12,167
<COMMON>                                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                                   628,981
<SALES>                                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                               358,634
<CGS>                                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                                  333,052
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                              37,554
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                                (11,972)
<INCOME-TAX>                                                         0
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                            (11,972)
<DISCONTINUED>                                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                                      0
<CHANGES>                                                         (572)
<NET-INCOME>                                                   (12,544)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                        0