13 Series · SOC 13-1032
Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $78,240
- Median / year
- $101,590
- Top 10% earn
- -8.2%
- Growth '23–'33
- 11,560
- US workers
Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage earn a median of $78,240 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $78,240, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $58,360 (10th percentile) to $101,590 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 11,560 US workers. Kentucky pays the most ($97,950), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage earn a median of $78,240, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 71% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Business and Financial Operations, it ranks #19 of 32 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 8.2% by 2033.
- $78,240
- Median annual wage
- Top 29%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #19 of 32
- in Business and Financial Operations
- 1.7×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Kentucky at $97,950. Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage (SOC 13-1032) pays a national median of $78,240 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $58,360 at the 10th percentile to $101,590 at the 90th, with a mean of $78,900 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 11,560 Americans work in this occupation across 39 reporting states and 41 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -8.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 500 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Postsecondary nondegree award and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.3 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.3 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Kentucky pays the highest state median at $97,950, which is +25% above the national figure. The top metro is New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $99,670 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$78,240
per year
Median Hourly
$37.61/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$78,900
average
Employment
11,560
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$78,240 Top 29% higher than 71% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 13-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 13-series occupations with growth data, Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage sits on the slower-growing side at -8.2% growth and $78,240 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-8.2%
Declining
Annual Openings
500
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.3/100K
Injury Rate
0.3/100
Danger Index
1.4/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Evaluate practicality of repair as opposed to payment of market value of vehicle before accident.
- ▸ Review repair cost estimates with automobile repair shop to secure agreement on cost of repairs.
- ▸ Examine damaged vehicle to determine extent of structural, body, mechanical, electrical, or interior damage.
- ▸ Prepare insurance forms to indicate repair cost estimates and recommendations.
- ▸ Estimate parts and labor to repair damage, using standard automotive labor and parts cost manuals and knowledge of automotive repair.
- ▸ Determine salvage value on total-loss vehicle.
- ▸ Arrange to have damage appraised by another appraiser to resolve disagreement with shop on repair cost.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$58,360
25th Percentile
$65,050
Median
$78,240
75th Percentile
$91,880
90th Percentile
$101,590
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 39 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kentucky | $97,950 | +25% above national |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $95,720 | +22% above national |
| 3 | New Jersey | $94,280 | +21% above national |
| 4 | Connecticut | $89,740 | +15% above national |
| 5 | South Carolina | $86,680 | +11% above national |
| 6 | Arizona | $86,030 | +10% above national |
| 7 | Oregon | $83,270 | +6% above national |
| 8 | Maryland | $82,870 | +6% above national |
| 9 | Utah | $82,570 | +6% above national |
| 10 | Oklahoma | $82,340 | +5% above national |
| 11 | Georgia | $81,470 | +4% above national |
| 12 | Virginia | $81,470 | +4% above national |
| 13 | New York | $81,150 | +4% above national |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $79,930 | +2% above national |
| 15 | Maine | $79,510 | +2% above national |
| 16 | Texas | $79,200 | +1% above national |
| 17 | Iowa | $79,090 | +1% above national |
| 18 | California | $78,930 | +1% above national |
| 19 | Nevada | $78,510 | same as national |
| 20 | Washington | $78,450 | same as national |
| 21 | New Mexico | $78,310 | same as national |
| 22 | Michigan | $77,060 | 2% below national |
| 23 | Indiana | $76,750 | 2% below national |
| 24 | Minnesota | $76,460 | 2% below national |
| 25 | Idaho | $76,110 | 3% below national |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $75,260 | 4% below national |
| 27 | Kansas | $75,080 | 4% below national |
| 28 | North Carolina | $74,810 | 4% below national |
| 29 | Louisiana | $72,040 | 8% below national |
| 30 | Colorado | $71,600 | 8% below national |
| 31 | Mississippi | $71,550 | 9% below national |
| 32 | Illinois | $71,510 | 9% below national |
| 33 | Missouri | $67,950 | 13% below national |
| 34 | Tennessee | $67,080 | 14% below national |
| 35 | Arkansas | $63,960 | 18% below national |
| 36 | Ohio | $63,470 | 19% below national |
| 37 | Nebraska | $62,350 | 20% below national |
| 38 | Florida | $61,320 | 22% below national |
| 39 | Puerto Rico | $46,520 | 41% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 41 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $99,670 | +27% above national |
| 2 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $97,910 | +25% above national |
| 3 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $92,420 | +18% above national |
| 4 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $89,760 | +15% above national |
| 5 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $89,740 | +15% above national |
| 6 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $84,370 | +8% above national |
| 7 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $83,590 | +7% above national |
| 8 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $82,850 | +6% above national |
| 9 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $82,750 | +6% above national |
| 10 | Worcester, MA | $81,880 | +5% above national |
| 11 | Columbia, SC | $81,830 | +5% above national |
| 12 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $81,370 | +4% above national |
| 13 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $80,370 | +3% above national |
| 14 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $80,300 | +3% above national |
| 15 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $79,810 | +2% above national |
| 16 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $79,510 | +2% above national |
| 17 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $79,110 | +1% above national |
| 18 | Albuquerque, NM | $78,990 | +1% above national |
| 19 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $78,970 | +1% above national |
| 20 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $78,930 | +1% above national |
| 21 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $78,510 | same as national |
| 22 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $78,450 | same as national |
| 23 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $77,810 | 1% below national |
| 24 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $77,700 | 1% below national |
| 25 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $76,370 | 2% below national |
| 26 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $76,360 | 2% below national |
| 27 | Knoxville, TN | $76,280 | 3% below national |
| 28 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $75,740 | 3% below national |
| 29 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $75,730 | 3% below national |
| 30 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $75,200 | 4% below national |
| 31 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $74,760 | 4% below national |
| 32 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $68,860 | 12% below national |
| 33 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $68,700 | 12% below national |
| 34 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $67,630 | 14% below national |
| 35 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $67,080 | 14% below national |
| 36 | Baton Rouge, LA | $65,690 | 16% below national |
| 37 | Columbus, OH | $63,180 | 19% below national |
| 38 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $62,860 | 20% below national |
| 39 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $61,200 | 22% below national |
| 40 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $60,020 | 23% below national |
| 41 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $46,780 | 40% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 13 (business and financial operations) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage make? ▼
What state pays Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage? ▼
How dangerous is being a Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage? ▼
Is Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage a good career? ▼
How does Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $91,880/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Kentucky leads at $97,950/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.