Insurance Underwriters Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for insurance underwriters in the U.S. is $81,370 ($39.12 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $81,370
- Mean annual wage
- $93,700
- Median hourly wage
- $39.12
- Employment
- 105,420
105,420 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $55,530 | $26.70 |
| 25th percentile | $64,620 | $31.07 |
| Median (50th) | $81,370 | $39.12 |
| 75th percentile | $110,390 | $53.07 |
| 90th percentile | $145,160 | $69.79 |
Highest-paying states for insurance underwriters
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $106,640 | 2,890 |
| New Hampshire | $103,940 | 270 |
| Nevada | $101,440 | 480 |
| Connecticut | $100,690 | 2,010 |
| Colorado | $100,640 | 2,040 |
| Washington | $99,400 | 1,740 |
| New York | $97,450 | 6,900 |
| Wisconsin | $97,370 | 3,110 |
| New Jersey | $96,220 | 3,150 |
| Maine | $95,510 | 520 |
Lowest-paying states
- Mississippi: $59,250 median annual wage
- Alabama: $62,220 median annual wage
- Wyoming: $62,290 median annual wage
- Idaho: $62,530 median annual wage
- Montana: $63,140 median annual wage
About this occupation
Review individual applications for insurance to evaluate degree of risk involved and determine acceptance of applications.
Typical tasks
- Evaluate possibility of losses due to catastrophe or excessive insurance.
- Decline excessive risks.
- Review company records to determine amount of insurance in force on single risk or group of closely related risks.
- Examine documents to determine degree of risk from factors such as applicant health, financial standing and value, and condition of property.
- Authorize reinsurance of policy when risk is high.
- Write to field representatives, medical personnel, or others to obtain further information, quote rates, or explain company underwriting policies.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Bachelor's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 1.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 11.5% |
| Some college, no degree | 17.7% |
| Associate's degree | 8.1% |
| Bachelor's degree | 47.8% |
| Master's degree | 10.9% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 2.6% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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- Training and Development Specialists$69,280
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.