Insurance Underwriter Salary in Philadelphia, PA
Insurance Underwriters in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn a median $84,580 a year — 4% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $65,735 take-home, or $5,478 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median insurance underwriter salary in Philadelphia, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$9,778
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,244
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,226
- Pennsylvania income tax$2,597
- Take-home pay$65,735
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Philadelphia? City residents also pay Philadelphia’s Resident Wage Tax — about $3,163 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $62,572 ($5,214 a month). Choose “Philadelphia” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Insurance Underwriter pay by experience in Philadelphia, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $62,230 | $29.92 | $50,271 | $4,189 |
| 25th percentile | $67,590 | $32.50 | $54,305 | $4,525 |
| Median (50th) | $84,580 | $40.66 | $65,735 | $5,478 |
| 75th percentile | $119,520 | $57.46 | $89,243 | $7,437 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $163,090 | $78.41 | $117,731 | $9,811 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $84,580 buys in Philadelphia, PA
Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median insurance underwriter's $65,735 take-home pay has the buying power of $64,098 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Philadelphia, PA has 1.3× the national concentration of insurance underwriter jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for insurance underwriters, adjusted for cost of living
Philadelphia, PA ranks #4 of 6 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago, IL | $99,840 | $74,270 | $71,693 |
| 2 | Atlanta, GA | $95,430 | $71,635 | $71,593 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $98,410 | $73,295 | $65,115 |
| 4 | Philadelphia, PA | $84,580 | $65,735 | $64,098 |
| 5 | Dallas, TX | $79,590 | $64,822 | $62,879 |
| 6 | Phoenix, AZ | $77,740 | $61,785 | $59,802 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 6 metros →
About the job: insurance underwriters
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)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a insurance underwriter make in Philadelphia, PA?
The median insurance underwriter salary in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $84,580 a year, or about $40.66 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $67,590 and $119,520.
What is a insurance underwriter’s take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA?
On the median $84,580 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $65,735 a year ($5,478 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,597 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Philadelphia, PA a good place to work as a insurance underwriter?
Pay here is 4% above the national median of $81,370. Local prices are 2.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $64,098 would in a typical U.S. city. Philadelphia, PA ranks #4 of 6 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a insurance underwriter afford rent in Philadelphia, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is $1,520 a month ($1,810 for two bedrooms) — 28% of a median insurance underwriter’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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