Contract Surety Underwriter Salary in the United States

How much does a Contract Surety Underwriter make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Contract Surety Underwriter in the United States is $61,637 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $30.

However, a Contract Surety Underwriter's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $74,247
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $54,756 to $68,237
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $48,492

Key Factors That Influence Contract Surety Underwriter Salaries

A Contract Surety Underwriter's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Contract Surety Underwriter Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Contract Surety Underwriter's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $61,151
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $72,051
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $93,667
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $109,415
  • Expert (over 8 years): $134,826
Levels Salary
Contract ... Level Contract Surety Underwriter$61,151
Underwrit... Level Contract Surety Underwriter$72,051
Underwrit... Level Contract Surety Underwriter$93,667
Underwrit... Level Contract Surety Underwriter$109,415
Underwrit... Level Contract Surety Underwriter$134,826

Top Paying Cities for Contract Surety Underwriters

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $77,742
  • San Francisco: $76,891
  • Oakland: $75,271

What Skills Can Increase a Contract Surety Underwriter's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 7.06% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Financial Services (Mentioned in 1.53% Job Postings): A services provided by the finance industry, which encompasses a broad range of businesses that manage money. These services involve banking, brokerage, mortgages, credit cards, payment services, real estate, investment funds, taxes and accounting.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 1.23% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 7.06%
Financial Services 1.53%
Microsoft Office 1.23%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Contract Surety Underwriter's salary.

  • Credit Administration: Can increase your salary by up to 29%.
  • Team Operations: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
  • Due Diligence: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Credit Administration $79,511
29%
Team Operations $70,266
14%
Due Diligence $69,650
13%

Contract Surety Underwriter Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Contract Surety Underwriter roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Insurance and Financial Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Contract Surety Underwriter positions in Retail & Wholesale or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Contract Surety Underwriter as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Contract Surety Underwriter

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Insurance$92,455$44.050%
Financial Services$73,964$36.020%
Healthcare$67,800$33.010%

How Education impacts a Contract Surety Underwriter's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Contract Surety Underwriters enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Contract Surety Underwriter with a Associate's Degree is between $57,884 and $61,738).

Contract Surety Underwriter Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Contract Surety Underwriter
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 17.6%
High School 17.6%
Associates 6.5%
Bachelors 61.1%
Masters 14.8%
Doctorate 0.0%

Contract Surety Underwriter Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Contract Surety Underwriter's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$54,756
Average $61,637/year
$68,237
$4,563
Average $5,136/month
$5,686
$1,053
Average $1,185/week
$1,312
$26
Average $30/hour
$33
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $68,237 $5,686 $1,312 $33
Average $61,637 $5,136 $1,185 $30
25th Percentile $54,756 $4,563 $1,053 $26

Most common benefits for Contract Surety Underwriter

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Contract Surety Underwriter

Here are companies hiring for Contract Surety Underwriter and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Contract Surety Underwriter

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Contract Surety Underwriter?

The Insurance industry offers the highest average compensation for Contract Surety Underwriter roles, with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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