Insurance Underwriter Salary
Insurance Underwriters earn a median $81,370 a year nationally. Business and Financial Operations Occupations
U.S. median
$81,370
$39.12 per hour
Range
$55,530 – $145,160
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
105,420
across the U.S.
▲1.9%
Pay trend: The median for insurance underwriters in the U.S. rose from $79,880 (May 2024) to $81,370 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 0.5%.
What insurance underwriters do
Review individual applications for insurance to evaluate degree of risk involved and determine acceptance of applications.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -3.8% (declining)
- Openings per year
- 6,800
Employment of insurance underwriters is projected to shrink 3.8% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 6,800 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Insurance Underwriter take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$66,074
per year · effective tax rate 18.8%
$5,506Monthly
$2,753Twice a month
$2,541Every 2 weeks
$31.77Hourly
- Federal income tax$9,071
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,045
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,180
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$66,074
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $55,530 | $26.70 | $46,798 |
| 25th percentile | $64,620 | $31.07 | $54,102 |
| Median (50th) | $81,370 | $39.12 | $66,074 |
| 75th percentile | $110,390 | $53.07 | $86,489 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $145,160 | $69.79 | $110,483 |
Best cities for insurance underwriters (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago, IL | $99,840 | $74,270 | $71,693 | 4,060 |
| 2 | Atlanta, GA | $95,430 | $71,635 | $71,593 | 5,090 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $98,410 | $73,295 | $65,115 | 6,740 |
| 4 | Philadelphia, PA | $84,580 | $65,735 | $64,098 | 2,590 |
| 5 | Dallas, TX | $79,590 | $64,822 | $62,879 | 4,140 |
| 6 | Phoenix, AZ | $77,740 | $61,785 | $59,802 | 3,030 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- Chicago, IL — $99,840
- New York, NY — $98,410
- Atlanta, GA — $95,430
- Philadelphia, PA — $84,580
- Dallas, TX — $79,590
- Phoenix, AZ — $77,740
Insurance Underwriter salary by state
| State | Median | 1-yr change | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $106,640 | +6.6% | $78,739 | $70,590 – $167,590 | 2,890 |
| New Hampshire | $103,940 | +8.2% | $81,952 | $70,490 – $165,380 | 270 |
| Nevada | $101,440 | +16.2% | $80,193 | $60,780 – $157,470 | 480 |
| Connecticut | $100,690 | +5.5% | $75,702 | $66,450 – $158,890 | 2,010 |
| Colorado | $100,640 | +0.6% | $75,910 | $67,390 – $167,680 | 2,040 |
| Washington | $99,400 | +4.3% | $78,758 | $64,130 – $164,730 | 1,740 |
| New York | $97,450 | +16.1% | $72,677 | $65,160 – $168,790 | 6,900 |
| Wisconsin | $97,370 | +24.9% | $73,550 | $61,410 – $134,090 | 3,110 |
| New Jersey | $96,220 | +2.9% | $72,582 | $66,290 – $144,230 | 3,150 |
| Maine | $95,510 | −1.1% | $70,688 | $62,730 – $133,390 | 520 |
| California | $95,320 | +9.3% | $70,013 | $65,070 – $162,640 | 6,580 |
| Maryland | $92,120 | +3.7% | $69,624 | $59,520 – $152,690 | 1,310 |
| Illinois | $89,620 | +6.0% | $67,586 | $59,730 – $161,410 | — |
| Georgia | $85,980 | +10.2% | $65,477 | $61,160 – $165,910 | 7,160 |
| Rhode Island | $84,720 | +4.6% | $65,870 | $50,240 – $138,930 | 250 |
| South Dakota | $83,130 | −0.3% | $67,312 | $58,980 – $152,720 | 210 |
| Arkansas | $82,130 | +29.0% | $63,618 | $41,450 – $158,530 | 290 |
| District of Columbia | $82,070 | −18.5% | $62,559 | $64,800 – $173,060 | — |
| Virginia | $81,870 | +6.2% | $62,532 | $61,940 – $130,120 | 2,470 |
| Alaska | $81,620 | +34.1% | $66,250 | $47,120 – $106,990 | 100 |
| Minnesota | $80,700 | +2.2% | $61,638 | $60,350 – $138,710 | 2,550 |
| Missouri | $80,040 | +2.5% | $62,314 | $56,720 – $124,250 | 2,130 |
| Kentucky | $79,830 | −2.4% | $62,314 | $46,550 – $138,670 | 900 |
| South Carolina | $79,570 | −1.9% | $61,190 | $51,020 – $134,950 | 910 |
| Ohio | $79,260 | −0.7% | $63,192 | $52,080 – $128,320 | 5,110 |
| Oregon | $79,200 | −0.1% | $58,447 | $61,620 – $124,760 | 570 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,950 | +0.9% | $61,948 | $50,310 – $135,600 | 5,160 |
| Texas | $78,890 | +2.8% | $64,329 | $51,440 – $135,410 | 9,980 |
| Tennessee | $78,840 | −0.4% | $64,294 | $50,200 – $123,150 | 1,250 |
| Florida | $78,720 | −1.6% | $64,210 | $49,880 – $134,850 | 7,300 |
| Vermont | $77,990 | −27.0% | $61,009 | $62,100 – $101,440 | 210 |
| Arizona | $77,740 | +5.4% | $61,785 | $57,770 – $127,450 | 3,360 |
| Indiana | $77,440 | +8.3% | $61,054 | $48,160 – $104,580 | 2,170 |
| Michigan | $77,380 | +0.4% | $60,229 | $50,960 – $123,440 | 2,590 |
| North Carolina | $77,120 | +6.8% | $60,516 | $48,560 – $129,980 | 3,460 |
| Kansas | $77,070 | −5.9% | $59,548 | $49,900 – $162,210 | 1,230 |
| Louisiana | $76,540 | +20.6% | $60,766 | $46,540 – $126,190 | 1,050 |
| Iowa | $75,160 | −3.2% | $59,501 | $51,800 – $128,080 | 1,490 |
| Nebraska | $75,120 | −0.2% | $59,139 | $49,150 – $105,760 | 1,410 |
| North Dakota | $74,130 | +9.5% | $60,794 | $54,790 – $99,490 | 210 |
| Hawaii | $73,260 | −4.6% | $56,331 | $46,470 – $105,970 | 230 |
| Utah | $72,730 | +14.7% | $57,689 | $40,780 – $119,990 | 490 |
| Oklahoma | $66,770 | −2.2% | $53,344 | $45,280 – $107,900 | 600 |
| New Mexico | $64,000 | +2.6% | $51,762 | $47,170 – $106,680 | 100 |
| Montana | $63,140 | +4.6% | $50,702 | $50,280 – $130,880 | 140 |
| Idaho | $62,530 | −21.1% | $50,217 | $47,680 – $120,890 | 360 |
| Wyoming | $62,290 | — | $52,230 | $47,520 – $104,890 | 50 |
| Alabama | $62,220 | −2.4% | $49,328 | $43,540 – $129,600 | 1,540 |
| Mississippi | $59,250 | +0.8% | $48,149 | $38,520 – $100,710 | 600 |
Related jobs
| Job | Median salary | Education | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial and Investment Analyst | $102,740 | Bachelor's degree | +7.2% |
| Personal Financial Advisor | $105,070 | Bachelor's degree | +1.4% |
| Financial Risk Specialist | $117,330 | Bachelor's degree | +7.4% |
| Financial Specialists, All Other | $81,100 | Bachelor's degree | +4.1% |
| Credit Analyst | $83,510 | Bachelor's degree | -4.3% |
| Accountant and Auditor | $83,680 | Bachelor's degree | +5.0% |
| Loan Officer | $76,690 | Bachelor's degree | +1.1% |
| Budget Analyst | $91,640 | Bachelor's degree | +1.9% |
| Financial Examiner | $94,160 | Bachelor's degree | +9.3% |
| Property Appraiser and Assessor | $67,960 | Bachelor's degree | +3.5% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a insurance underwriter make?
The national median salary for insurance underwriters is $81,370 a year ($39.12 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $55,530 and the top 10% earn over $145,160. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays insurance underwriters the most?
Massachusetts has the highest median pay at $106,640. After taxes and local prices, Chicago, IL offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many insurance underwriters are there in the U.S.?
About 105,420 people work as insurance underwriters nationwide.