13 Series · SOC 13-2053
Insurance Underwriters Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $81,370
- Median / year
- $145,160
- Top 10% earn
- -2.6%
- Growth '23–'33
- 105,420
- US workers
Insurance Underwriters earn a median of $81,370 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $81,370, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $55,530 (10th percentile) to $145,160 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 105,420 US workers. Massachusetts pays the most ($106,640), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Insurance Underwriters earn a median of $81,370, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 75% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Business and Financial Operations, it ranks #14 of 32 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 2.6% by 2033.
- $81,370
- Median annual wage
- Top 25%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #14 of 32
- in Business and Financial Operations
- 2.6×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Massachusetts at $106,640. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Insurance Underwriters (SOC 13-2053) pays a national median of $81,370 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $55,530 at the 10th percentile to $145,160 at the 90th, with a mean of $93,700 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 105,420 Americans work in this occupation across 50 reporting states and 159 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -2.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 8,200 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree 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. Massachusetts pays the highest state median at $106,640, which is +31% above the national figure. The top metro is Springfield, MA at $115,420 - 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
$81,370
per year
Median Hourly
$39.12/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$93,700
average
Employment
105,420
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Insurance Underwriters pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$81,370 Top 25% higher than 75% 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 Underwriters; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 24 13-series occupations with growth data, Insurance Underwriters sits on the slower-growing side at -2.6% growth and $81,370 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-2.6%
Declining
Annual Openings
8,200
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
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 Underwriters roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Examine documents to determine degree of risk from factors such as applicant health, financial standing and value, and condition of property.
- ▸ Decline excessive risks.
- ▸ Write to field representatives, medical personnel, or others to obtain further information, quote rates, or explain company underwriting policies.
- ▸ Evaluate possibility of losses due to catastrophe or excessive insurance.
- ▸ Review company records to determine amount of insurance in force on single risk or group of closely related risks.
- ▸ Decrease value of policy when risk is substandard and specify applicable endorsements or apply rating to ensure safe, profitable distribution of risks, using reference materials.
- ▸ Authorize reinsurance of policy when risk is high.
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
$55,530
25th Percentile
$64,620
Median
$81,370
75th Percentile
$110,390
90th Percentile
$145,160
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 50 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $106,640 | +31% above national |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $103,940 | +28% above national |
| 3 | Nevada | $101,440 | +25% above national |
| 4 | Connecticut | $100,690 | +24% above national |
| 5 | Colorado | $100,640 | +24% above national |
| 6 | Washington | $99,400 | +22% above national |
| 7 | New York | $97,450 | +20% above national |
| 8 | Wisconsin | $97,370 | +20% above national |
| 9 | New Jersey | $96,220 | +18% above national |
| 10 | Maine | $95,510 | +17% above national |
| 11 | California | $95,320 | +17% above national |
| 12 | Maryland | $92,120 | +13% above national |
| 13 | Illinois | $89,620 | +10% above national |
| 14 | Georgia | $85,980 | +6% above national |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $84,720 | +4% above national |
| 16 | South Dakota | $83,130 | +2% above national |
| 17 | Arkansas | $82,130 | +1% above national |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $82,070 | +1% above national |
| 19 | Virginia | $81,870 | +1% above national |
| 20 | Alaska | $81,620 | same as national |
| 21 | Minnesota | $80,700 | 1% below national |
| 22 | Missouri | $80,040 | 2% below national |
| 23 | Kentucky | $79,830 | 2% below national |
| 24 | South Carolina | $79,570 | 2% below national |
| 25 | Ohio | $79,260 | 3% below national |
| 26 | Oregon | $79,200 | 3% below national |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $78,950 | 3% below national |
| 28 | Texas | $78,890 | 3% below national |
| 29 | Tennessee | $78,840 | 3% below national |
| 30 | Florida | $78,720 | 3% below national |
| 31 | Vermont | $77,990 | 4% below national |
| 32 | Arizona | $77,740 | 4% below national |
| 33 | Indiana | $77,440 | 5% below national |
| 34 | Michigan | $77,380 | 5% below national |
| 35 | North Carolina | $77,120 | 5% below national |
| 36 | Kansas | $77,070 | 5% below national |
| 37 | Louisiana | $76,540 | 6% below national |
| 38 | Iowa | $75,160 | 8% below national |
| 39 | Nebraska | $75,120 | 8% below national |
| 40 | North Dakota | $74,130 | 9% below national |
| 41 | Hawaii | $73,260 | 10% below national |
| 42 | Utah | $72,730 | 11% below national |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $66,770 | 18% below national |
| 44 | New Mexico | $64,000 | 21% below national |
| 45 | Montana | $63,140 | 22% below national |
| 46 | Idaho | $62,530 | 23% below national |
| 47 | Wyoming | $62,290 | 23% below national |
| 48 | Alabama | $62,220 | 24% below national |
| 49 | Mississippi | $59,250 | 27% below national |
| 50 | Puerto Rico | $46,990 | 42% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 159 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Springfield, MA | $115,420 | +42% above national |
| 2 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $114,980 | +41% above national |
| 3 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $106,570 | +31% above national |
| 4 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $106,170 | +30% above national |
| 5 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $102,460 | +26% above national |
| 6 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $102,030 | +25% above national |
| 7 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $101,840 | +25% above national |
| 8 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $101,300 | +24% above national |
| 9 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $100,990 | +24% above national |
| 10 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $100,690 | +24% above national |
| 11 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $100,130 | +23% above national |
| 12 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $99,840 | +23% above national |
| 13 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $98,410 | +21% above national |
| 14 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $98,210 | +21% above national |
| 15 | Worcester, MA | $98,000 | +20% above national |
| 16 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $97,870 | +20% above national |
| 17 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $97,800 | +20% above national |
| 18 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $96,730 | +19% above national |
| 19 | Fresno, CA | $95,880 | +18% above national |
| 20 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $95,830 | +18% above national |
| 21 | Appleton, WI | $95,610 | +18% above national |
| 22 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $95,430 | +17% above national |
| 23 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $95,370 | +17% above national |
| 24 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $95,130 | +17% above national |
| 25 | Madison, WI | $95,130 | +17% above national |
| 26 | Rochester, NY | $94,310 | +16% above national |
| 27 | Colorado Springs, CO | $93,960 | +15% above national |
| 28 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $93,510 | +15% above national |
| 29 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $92,830 | +14% above national |
| 30 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $92,490 | +14% above national |
| 31 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $91,340 | +12% above national |
| 32 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $90,990 | +12% above national |
| 33 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $90,380 | +11% above national |
| 34 | Ocala, FL | $89,740 | +10% above national |
| 35 | Topeka, KS | $88,400 | +9% above national |
| 36 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $85,150 | +5% above national |
| 37 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $84,800 | +4% above national |
| 38 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $84,580 | +4% above national |
| 39 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $84,520 | +4% above national |
| 40 | New Haven, CT | $84,510 | +4% above national |
| 41 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $83,630 | +3% above national |
| 42 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $83,240 | +2% above national |
| 43 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $83,130 | +2% above national |
| 44 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $82,980 | +2% above national |
| 45 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $82,390 | +1% above national |
| 46 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $82,270 | +1% above national |
| 47 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $82,110 | +1% above national |
| 48 | Anchorage, AK | $81,620 | same as national |
| 49 | Charlottesville, VA | $81,580 | same as national |
| 50 | Richmond, VA | $81,400 | same as national |
| 51 | Jacksonville, FL | $81,220 | same as national |
| 52 | Syracuse, NY | $81,160 | same as national |
| 53 | Helena, MT | $81,080 | same as national |
| 54 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $80,770 | 1% below national |
| 55 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $80,690 | 1% below national |
| 56 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $80,320 | 1% below national |
| 57 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $80,180 | 1% below national |
| 58 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $80,160 | 1% below national |
| 59 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $80,080 | 2% below national |
| 60 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $80,070 | 2% below national |
| 61 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $79,870 | 2% below national |
| 62 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $79,830 | 2% below national |
| 63 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $79,810 | 2% below national |
| 64 | Boise City, ID | $79,780 | 2% below national |
| 65 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $79,780 | 2% below national |
| 66 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $79,590 | 2% below national |
| 67 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $79,590 | 2% below national |
| 68 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $79,570 | 2% below national |
| 69 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $79,560 | 2% below national |
| 70 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $79,460 | 2% below national |
| 71 | Columbus, OH | $79,370 | 2% below national |
| 72 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $79,280 | 3% below national |
| 73 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $79,230 | 3% below national |
| 74 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $79,210 | 3% below national |
| 75 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $79,080 | 3% below national |
| 76 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $79,070 | 3% below national |
| 77 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $79,060 | 3% below national |
| 78 | Lincoln, NE | $78,830 | 3% below national |
| 79 | Cleveland, OH | $78,610 | 3% below national |
| 80 | Baton Rouge, LA | $78,360 | 4% below national |
| 81 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $78,350 | 4% below national |
| 82 | Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $78,300 | 4% below national |
| 83 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $78,110 | 4% below national |
| 84 | Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $78,100 | 4% below national |
| 85 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $77,990 | 4% below national |
| 86 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $77,980 | 4% below national |
| 87 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $77,890 | 4% below national |
| 88 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $77,770 | 4% below national |
| 89 | Pittsburgh, PA | $77,760 | 4% below national |
| 90 | Ann Arbor, MI | $77,750 | 4% below national |
| 91 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $77,740 | 4% below national |
| 92 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $77,440 | 5% below national |
| 93 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $77,360 | 5% below national |
| 94 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $77,160 | 5% below national |
| 95 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $77,150 | 5% below national |
| 96 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $76,540 | 6% below national |
| 97 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $76,450 | 6% below national |
| 98 | Jefferson City, MO | $75,970 | 7% below national |
| 99 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $75,930 | 7% below national |
| 100 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $75,910 | 7% below national |
| 101 | Peoria, IL | $75,910 | 7% below national |
| 102 | Winston-Salem, NC | $75,840 | 7% below national |
| 103 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $75,750 | 7% below national |
| 104 | Tucson, AZ | $75,560 | 7% below national |
| 105 | Lancaster, PA | $75,380 | 7% below national |
| 106 | Columbia, SC | $75,290 | 7% below national |
| 107 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $75,140 | 8% below national |
| 108 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $74,700 | 8% below national |
| 109 | Springfield, IL | $74,680 | 8% below national |
| 110 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $74,470 | 8% below national |
| 111 | Dubuque, IA | $74,390 | 9% below national |
| 112 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $74,340 | 9% below national |
| 113 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $74,340 | 9% below national |
| 114 | Fargo, ND-MN | $74,130 | 9% below national |
| 115 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $74,130 | 9% below national |
| 116 | Knoxville, TN | $73,880 | 9% below national |
| 117 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $73,580 | 10% below national |
| 118 | Lafayette, LA | $72,980 | 10% below national |
| 119 | Akron, OH | $72,870 | 10% below national |
| 120 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $72,830 | 10% below national |
| 121 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $72,730 | 11% below national |
| 122 | Wausau, WI | $71,140 | 13% below national |
| 123 | Omaha, NE-IA | $70,160 | 14% below national |
| 124 | Albuquerque, NM | $70,150 | 14% below national |
| 125 | Traverse City, MI | $69,500 | 15% below national |
| 126 | Oklahoma City, OK | $69,140 | 15% below national |
| 127 | Tulsa, OK | $69,090 | 15% below national |
| 128 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $67,520 | 17% below national |
| 129 | Bismarck, ND | $66,930 | 18% below national |
| 130 | Roanoke, VA | $66,670 | 18% below national |
| 131 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $66,410 | 18% below national |
| 132 | Manhattan, KS | $66,280 | 19% below national |
| 133 | Birmingham, AL | $66,000 | 19% below national |
| 134 | Jackson, MS | $65,550 | 19% below national |
| 135 | East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $65,500 | 20% below national |
| 136 | Charleston, WV | $64,730 | 20% below national |
| 137 | Fort Wayne, IN | $64,490 | 21% below national |
| 138 | Gainesville, FL | $64,270 | 21% below national |
| 139 | Columbia, MO | $63,540 | 22% below national |
| 140 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $63,090 | 22% below national |
| 141 | South Florida nonmetropolitan area | $63,060 | 23% below national |
| 142 | Missoula, MT | $62,890 | 23% below national |
| 143 | Tallahassee, FL | $62,470 | 23% below national |
| 144 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $61,900 | 24% below national |
| 145 | Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $61,610 | 24% below national |
| 146 | Waco, TX | $61,560 | 24% below national |
| 147 | Toledo, OH | $59,710 | 27% below national |
| 148 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $59,520 | 27% below national |
| 149 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $59,180 | 27% below national |
| 150 | Burlington, NC | $58,790 | 28% below national |
| 151 | Goldsboro, NC | $58,110 | 29% below national |
| 152 | Decatur, AL | $57,850 | 29% below national |
| 153 | Montgomery, AL | $57,400 | 29% below national |
| 154 | Mobile, AL | $56,660 | 30% below national |
| 155 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $51,470 | 37% below national |
| 156 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $49,030 | 40% below national |
| 157 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $47,840 | 41% below national |
| 158 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $46,990 | 42% below national |
| 159 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $43,540 | 46% 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 Underwriters make? ▼
What state pays Insurance Underwriters the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Insurance Underwriters? ▼
How dangerous is being a Insurance Underwriters? ▼
Is Insurance Underwriters a good career? ▼
How does Insurance Underwriters pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Insurance Underwriters? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Insurance Underwriters pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $110,390/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: Massachusetts leads at $106,640/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.