SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Review individual applications for insurance to evaluate degree of risk involved and determine acceptance of applications.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 13-2053.
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 | $55,530 | $4,628 | $1,068 | $26.70 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $64,620 | $5,385 | $1,243 | $31.07 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $81,370 | $6,781 | $1,565 | $39.12 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $110,390 | $9,199 | $2,123 | $53.07 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $145,160 | $12,097 | $2,792 | $69.79 |
* 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 Underwriters is $81,370, which is 60% higher. Among the 32 occupations of the field Business and Financial Operations, it ranks number 14 by median pay. With 105,420 jobs, it makes up about 6.8 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($93,700) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Insurance Underwriters pay by state
The highest median pay was in Massachusetts ($106,640), New Hampshire ($103,940) and Nevada ($101,440). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($46,990), Mississippi ($59,250) and Alabama ($62,220). The most jobs were in Texas (9,980), Florida (7,300) and Georgia (7,160). The occupation is most concentrated in Georgia, where its share of all jobs is 2.2 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 2,890 | $106,640 | $114,510 | $51.27 |
| New Hampshire | 270 | $103,940 | $109,760 | $49.97 |
| Nevada | 480 | $101,440 | $103,000 | $48.77 |
| Connecticut | 2,010 | $100,690 | $106,140 | $48.41 |
| Colorado | 2,040 | $100,640 | $111,330 | $48.38 |
| Washington | 1,740 | $99,400 | $108,920 | $47.79 |
| New York | 6,900 | $97,450 | $110,210 | $46.85 |
| Wisconsin | 3,110 | $97,370 | $95,410 | $46.81 |
| New Jersey | 3,150 | $96,220 | $99,990 | $46.26 |
| Maine | 520 | $95,510 | $94,640 | $45.92 |
| California | 6,580 | $95,320 | $102,850 | $45.83 |
| Maryland | 1,310 | $92,120 | $96,540 | $44.29 |
| Illinois | not published | $89,620 | $99,120 | $43.09 |
| Georgia | 7,160 | $85,980 | $100,720 | $41.34 |
| Rhode Island | 250 | $84,720 | $91,620 | $40.73 |
| South Dakota | 210 | $83,130 | $99,910 | $39.97 |
| Arkansas | 290 | $82,130 | $86,390 | $39.48 |
| District of Columbia | not published | $82,070 | $108,350 | $39.46 |
| Virginia | 2,470 | $81,870 | $92,270 | $39.36 |
| Alaska | 100 | $81,620 | $76,560 | $39.24 |
| Minnesota | 2,550 | $80,700 | $95,750 | $38.80 |
| Missouri | 2,130 | $80,040 | $84,070 | $38.48 |
| Kentucky | 900 | $79,830 | $87,430 | $38.38 |
| South Carolina | 910 | $79,570 | $87,610 | $38.26 |
| Ohio | 5,110 | $79,260 | $86,900 | $38.11 |
| Oregon | 570 | $79,200 | $87,660 | $38.08 |
| Pennsylvania | 5,160 | $78,950 | $90,490 | $37.96 |
| Texas | 9,980 | $78,890 | $88,790 | $37.93 |
| Tennessee | 1,250 | $78,840 | $82,570 | $37.91 |
| Florida | 7,300 | $78,720 | $89,040 | $37.85 |
| Vermont | 210 | $77,990 | $81,310 | $37.50 |
| Arizona | 3,360 | $77,740 | $85,770 | $37.38 |
| Indiana | 2,170 | $77,440 | $78,280 | $37.23 |
| Michigan | 2,590 | $77,380 | $81,620 | $37.20 |
| North Carolina | 3,460 | $77,120 | $83,920 | $37.08 |
| Kansas | 1,230 | $77,070 | $95,660 | $37.05 |
| Louisiana | 1,050 | $76,540 | $81,450 | $36.80 |
| Iowa | 1,490 | $75,160 | $83,220 | $36.14 |
| Nebraska | 1,410 | $75,120 | $76,900 | $36.12 |
| North Dakota | 210 | $74,130 | $78,330 | $35.64 |
| Hawaii | 230 | $73,260 | $76,090 | $35.22 |
| Utah | 490 | $72,730 | $76,430 | $34.96 |
| Oklahoma | 600 | $66,770 | $72,490 | $32.10 |
| New Mexico | 100 | $64,000 | $71,970 | $30.77 |
| Montana | 140 | $63,140 | $76,970 | $30.36 |
| Idaho | 360 | $62,530 | $77,420 | $30.06 |
| Wyoming | 50 | $62,290 | $67,760 | $29.95 |
| Alabama | 1,540 | $62,220 | $76,480 | $29.92 |
| Mississippi | 600 | $59,250 | $63,890 | $28.49 |
| Puerto Rico | 870 | $46,990 | $48,510 | $22.59 |
| Delaware | 210 | not published | not published | not published |
| West Virginia | 190 | not published | not published | not published |
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
- Business Operations Specialists, All Other$83,050 a year
- Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes$82,890 a year
- Logisticians$82,320 a year
- Financial Specialists, All Other$81,100 a year
- Compliance Officers$80,730 a year
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$78,760 a year
Common questions
How much do Insurance Underwriters earn in the United States?
The median pay was $81,370 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $55,530 and the highest-paid 10% more than $145,160.
How many people work as Insurance Underwriters?
About 105,420 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.