SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Appraise automobile or other vehicle damage to determine repair costs for insurance claim settlement. Prepare insurance forms to indicate repair cost or cost estimates and recommendations. May seek agreement with automotive repair shop on repair costs.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 13-1032.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $58,360 | $4,863 | $1,122 | $28.06 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $65,050 | $5,421 | $1,251 | $31.28 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $78,240 | $6,520 | $1,505 | $37.61 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $91,880 | $7,657 | $1,767 | $44.17 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $101,590 | $8,466 | $1,954 | $48.84 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage is $78,240, which is 53% higher. Among the 32 occupations of the field Business and Financial Operations, it ranks number 19 by median pay. With 11,560 jobs, it makes up about 0.7 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage pay by state
The highest median pay was in Kentucky ($97,950), Pennsylvania ($95,720) and New Jersey ($94,280). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($46,520), Florida ($61,320) and Nebraska ($62,350). The most jobs were in Texas (910), Ohio (820) and Massachusetts (680). The occupation is most concentrated in Puerto Rico, where its share of all jobs is 4.3 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | not published | $97,950 | $94,960 | $47.09 |
| Pennsylvania | 310 | $95,720 | $94,710 | $46.02 |
| New Jersey | not published | $94,280 | $91,680 | $45.33 |
| Connecticut | 210 | $89,740 | $91,430 | $43.14 |
| South Carolina | 220 | $86,680 | $87,090 | $41.67 |
| Arizona | 40 | $86,030 | $82,930 | $41.36 |
| Oregon | 170 | $83,270 | $85,300 | $40.04 |
| Maryland | not published | $82,870 | $85,300 | $39.84 |
| Utah | 50 | $82,570 | $87,350 | $39.70 |
| Oklahoma | not published | $82,340 | $78,450 | $39.59 |
| Georgia | not published | $81,470 | $82,030 | $39.17 |
| Virginia | not published | $81,470 | $81,020 | $39.17 |
| New York | 360 | $81,150 | $85,230 | $39.02 |
| Massachusetts | 680 | $79,930 | $83,360 | $38.43 |
| Maine | 50 | $79,510 | $78,950 | $38.23 |
| Texas | 910 | $79,200 | $77,430 | $38.08 |
| Iowa | not published | $79,090 | $67,480 | $38.02 |
| California | 550 | $78,930 | $82,530 | $37.95 |
| Nevada | 80 | $78,510 | $71,820 | $37.75 |
| Washington | 190 | $78,450 | $83,970 | $37.72 |
| New Mexico | not published | $78,310 | $77,180 | $37.65 |
| Michigan | 310 | $77,060 | $74,470 | $37.05 |
| Indiana | 250 | $76,750 | $77,360 | $36.90 |
| Minnesota | not published | $76,460 | $79,560 | $36.76 |
| Idaho | not published | $76,110 | $73,110 | $36.59 |
| Wisconsin | not published | $75,260 | $75,080 | $36.18 |
| Kansas | not published | $75,080 | $79,120 | $36.09 |
| North Carolina | 520 | $74,810 | $79,210 | $35.97 |
| Louisiana | 100 | $72,040 | $72,650 | $34.64 |
| Colorado | 330 | $71,600 | $78,340 | $34.42 |
| Mississippi | 120 | $71,550 | $73,330 | $34.40 |
| Illinois | 560 | $71,510 | $70,810 | $34.38 |
| Missouri | 190 | $67,950 | $74,400 | $32.67 |
| Tennessee | 420 | $67,080 | $77,080 | $32.25 |
| Arkansas | not published | $63,960 | $65,790 | $30.75 |
| Ohio | 820 | $63,470 | $70,120 | $30.51 |
| Nebraska | 90 | $62,350 | $73,880 | $29.98 |
| Florida | not published | $61,320 | $67,240 | $29.48 |
| Puerto Rico | 300 | $46,520 | $44,890 | $22.36 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Compliance Officers$80,730 a year
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$78,760 a year
- Cost Estimators$78,740 a year
- Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists$78,210 a year
- Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$78,000 a year
- Buyers and Purchasing Agents$77,710 a year
Common questions
How much do Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage earn in the United States?
The median pay was $78,240 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $58,360 and the highest-paid 10% more than $101,590.
How many people work as Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage?
About 11,560 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.