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Insurance Underwriter

$79,880
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Evaluate insurance applications, decide what to cover, and set the price of each policy.

Where you work

Insurance company offices.

The hours

Regular full-time weekday schedule

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$79,880
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~8,200
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
-3%
Declining
Working in the U.S.
127,000
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's degree.

License or certification

No license required to start in most places.

What it takes

Risk analysisUnderwriting softwareJudgmentAttention to detail

The honest take

Declining as software handles routine decisions, but complex risks still need human judgment.

Standard Occupational Classification 13-2053. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.