Insurance Underwriter salary in the U.S.
Insurance Underwriters in the U.S. earn a median of $81,370 a year ($39.12 an hour), based on BLS data for 105,420 workers.
Pay ranges from $55,530 for the lowest-paid 10% to $145,160 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $93,700, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for insurance underwriters in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $55,530 | $26.70 |
| 25th percentile | $64,620 | $31.07 |
| Median | $81,370 | $39.12 |
| 75th percentile | $110,390 | $53.07 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $145,160 | $69.79 |
| Average (mean) | $93,700 | $45.05 |
Half of insurance underwriters 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 | $6,780.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,390.42 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,129.62 |
| Weekly | $1,564.81 |
| Hourly | $39.12 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Insurance Underwriter salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| California | $95,320 | 6,580 |
| Maryland | $92,120 | 1,310 |
| Illinois | $89,620 | n/a |
| Georgia | $85,980 | 7,160 |
| Rhode Island | $84,720 | 250 |
| South Dakota | $83,130 | 210 |
| Arkansas | $82,130 | 290 |
| District of Columbia | $82,070 | n/a |
| Virginia | $81,870 | 2,470 |
| Alaska | $81,620 | 100 |
| Minnesota | $80,700 | 2,550 |
| Missouri | $80,040 | 2,130 |
| Kentucky | $79,830 | 900 |
| South Carolina | $79,570 | 910 |
| Ohio | $79,260 | 5,110 |
| Oregon | $79,200 | 570 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,950 | 5,160 |
| Texas | $78,890 | 9,980 |
| Tennessee | $78,840 | 1,250 |
| Florida | $78,720 | 7,300 |
| Vermont | $77,990 | 210 |
| Arizona | $77,740 | 3,360 |
| Indiana | $77,440 | 2,170 |
| Michigan | $77,380 | 2,590 |
| North Carolina | $77,120 | 3,460 |
| Kansas | $77,070 | 1,230 |
| Louisiana | $76,540 | 1,050 |
| Iowa | $75,160 | 1,490 |
| Nebraska | $75,120 | 1,410 |
| North Dakota | $74,130 | 210 |
| Hawaii | $73,260 | 230 |
| Utah | $72,730 | 490 |
| Oklahoma | $66,770 | 600 |
| New Mexico | $64,000 | 100 |
| Montana | $63,140 | 140 |
| Idaho | $62,530 | 360 |
| Wyoming | $62,290 | 50 |
| Alabama | $62,220 | 1,540 |
| Mississippi | $59,250 | 600 |
| Puerto Rico | $46,990 | 870 |
Best-paying metro areas for insurance underwriters
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Springfield, MA | $115,420 | 130 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $114,980 | 160 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $106,570 | 950 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $106,170 | 2,080 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $102,460 | 110 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $102,030 | 50 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $101,840 | 1,540 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $101,300 | 400 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $100,990 | 290 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $100,690 | 1,430 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $100,130 | 1,210 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $99,840 | 4,060 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $98,410 | 6,740 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $98,210 | 520 |
| Worcester, MA | $98,000 | 310 |
Metro areas with the most insurance underwriters
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 6,740 | $98,410 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 5,090 | $95,430 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 4,140 | $79,590 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 4,060 | $99,840 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 3,030 | $77,740 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 2,590 | $84,580 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 2,090 | $97,870 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 2,080 | $106,170 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 2,070 | $78,350 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,880 | $82,980 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 1,690 | $82,110 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 1,540 | $101,840 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,520 | $77,770 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 1,430 | $100,690 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,350 | $84,520 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,680 | $40.23 |
| Financial and Investment Analysts | $102,740 | $49.40 |
| Loan Officer | $76,690 | $36.87 |
| Personal Financial Advisor | $105,070 | $50.51 |
| Financial Specialists, All Other | $81,100 | $38.99 |
| Tax Preparer | $54,920 | $26.40 |
| Financial Examiner | $94,160 | $45.27 |
| Credit Analyst | $83,510 | $40.15 |
| Financial Risk Specialist | $117,330 | $56.41 |
| Property Appraisers and Assessors | $67,960 | $32.67 |
| Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents | $62,370 | $29.98 |
| Budget Analyst | $91,640 | $44.06 |
| Credit Counselor | $52,230 | $25.11 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | $83,050 | $39.93 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 13-2053. 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 underwriter make in the U.S.?
The median salary for insurance underwriters in the U.S. is $81,370 a year, or $39.12 an hour. Pay ranges from $55,530 for the lowest-paid 10% to $145,160 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid insurance underwriters make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of insurance underwriters in the U.S. earn at least $145,160 a year. The top 25% earn $110,390 or more.
What is the starting pay for insurance underwriters in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $55,530 a year, and a quarter of insurance underwriters earn $64,620 or less.
How many insurance underwriters work in the U.S.?
About 105,420 insurance underwriters are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.