Insurance Sales Agent salary in California
Insurance Sales Agents in California earn a median of $76,120 a year ($36.60 an hour), based on BLS data for 41,160 workers.
Pay ranges from $38,560 for the lowest-paid 10% to $165,430 for the top 10%. That is 22% higher than the national median of $62,280. California ranks 8th of 51 states for insurance sales agents pay. There are 2.3 insurance sales agents per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.73). The average (mean) salary is $93,660, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for insurance sales agents in California
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,560 | $18.54 |
| 25th percentile | $49,370 | $23.74 |
| Median | $76,120 | $36.60 |
| 75th percentile | $104,860 | $50.41 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $165,430 | $79.53 |
| Average (mean) | $93,660 | $45.03 |
Half of insurance sales agents earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $6,343.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,171.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,927.69 |
| Weekly | $1,463.85 |
| Hourly | $36.60 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Insurance Sales Agent salary in cities in California
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95,640 | 4,860 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $83,990 | 350 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $80,940 | 2,780 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $79,680 | 440 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $77,780 | 840 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $77,020 | 3,680 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $76,870 | 14,680 |
| Vallejo, CA | $75,580 | 220 |
| Modesto, CA | $73,270 | 310 |
| Merced, CA | $70,220 | 170 |
| Salinas, CA | $70,220 | 240 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $67,110 | 70 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $63,950 | 1,590 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $63,300 | 170 |
| Fresno, CA | $61,710 | 950 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $60,500 | 240 |
| Visalia, CA | $60,150 | 200 |
| Napa, CA | $58,360 | 110 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $56,020 | 3,130 |
| Redding, CA | $49,890 | 160 |
| Yuba City, CA | $49,270 | 120 |
| Chico, CA | $48,170 | 190 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $45,750 | 390 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $45,710 | 380 |
Highest-paying states for insurance sales agents
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $84,530 |
| New Jersey | $81,640 |
| Rhode Island | $79,930 |
| Wisconsin | $79,450 |
| Massachusetts | $79,300 |
| Minnesota | $78,640 |
| New York | $78,110 |
| California | $76,120 |
| Connecticut | $74,840 |
| New Hampshire | $74,370 |
Related jobs in California
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $80,850 | $38.87 |
| Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents | $79,730 | $38.33 |
| Advertising Sales Agent | $80,360 | $38.64 |
| Travel Agent | $51,030 | $24.53 |
| Retail Salesperson | $38,440 | $18.48 |
| Cashier | $37,100 | $17.84 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $76,490 | $36.78 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | $54,870 | $26.38 |
| Counter and Rental Clerks | $45,010 | $21.64 |
| Sales and Related Workers, All Other | $52,810 | $25.39 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $124,220 | $59.72 |
| Parts Salesperson | $44,440 | $21.37 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $81,140 | $39.01 |
| Demonstrators and Product Promoters | $46,220 | $22.22 |
More: Sales and Related Occupations · all salaries in California
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 41-3021. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a insurance sales agent make in California?
The median salary for insurance sales agents in California is $76,120 a year, or $36.60 an hour. Pay ranges from $38,560 for the lowest-paid 10% to $165,430 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid insurance sales agents make in California?
The top 10% of insurance sales agents in California earn at least $165,430 a year. The top 25% earn $104,860 or more.
What is the starting pay for insurance sales agents in California?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $38,560 a year, and a quarter of insurance sales agents earn $49,370 or less.
How many insurance sales agents work in California?
About 41,160 insurance sales agents are employed in California, not counting the self-employed.