Insurance Underwriter Salary in the United States

How much does an Insurance Underwriter make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for an Insurance Underwriter in the United States is $59,197 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $28.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $71,257
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $52,585 to $65,510
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $46,565
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View as table View as graph 25% $52,585 10% $46,565 90% $71,257 75% $65,510 $59,197 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Insurance Underwriter Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $65,510 $5,459 $1,260 $31
Average $59,197 $4,933 $1,138 $28
25th Percentile $52,585 $4,382 $1,011 $25
Check out Insurance Underwriter Job Openings in the United States
Senior Life Insurance Underwriter

Western & Southern Financial Group - Cincinnati, OH

Travel L&D RN

Focus Staff - RAPID CITY, SD

Travel L&D RN

Focus Staff - LEBANON, NH

Travel ER RN

Focus Staff - URBANA, IL

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Key Factors That Influence Insurance Underwriter Salaries

An Insurance 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 Insurance Underwriter Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Insurance 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): $58,733
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $69,201
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $89,960
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $105,088
  • Expert (over 8 years): $129,497
Levels Salary
Insurance... Level Insurance Underwriter$58,733
Underwrit... Level Insurance Underwriter$69,201
Underwrit... Level Insurance Underwriter$89,960
Underwrit... Level Insurance Underwriter$105,088
Underwrit... Level Insurance Underwriter$129,497
$58,733 0 yr
$69,201 < 2 yrs
$89,960 2-4 yrs
$105,088 5-8 yrs
$129,497 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Insurance 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: $74,665
  • San Francisco: $73,848
  • Oakland: $72,291

What Skills Can Increase an Insurance 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.
See More Skills
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 an Insurance 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
$76,364
29%
Team Operations
$67,484
14%
Due Diligence
$66,892
13%
Self Motivation
$66,301
12%
Accountability
$65,709
11%
Financial Accounting
$64,525
9%
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Insurance Underwriter Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Insurance 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, Insurance Underwriter positions in Retail & Wholesale or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Insurance Underwriter as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Insurance Underwriter

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Insurance$88,795$43.050%
Financial Services$71,036$34.020%
Healthcare$65,117$31.010%

How Education impacts an Insurance Underwriter's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Insurance 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 an Insurance Underwriter with a Associate's Degree is between $57,884 and $61,738).

Insurance Underwriter Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Insurance 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%
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Insurance Underwriter Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Insurance 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 July 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Insurance Underwriter

Salaries for an Insurance Underwriter can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $64,084 in 2023 to around $61,177 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Insurance Underwriter salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Insurance Underwriter Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$64,084
2024
$62,653
2025
$61,177
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $64,084
2024 $62,653
2025 $61,177
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Insurance Underwriter

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Insurance Underwriter

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

Find Your Next Insurance Underwriter Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Insurance Underwriter job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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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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