The average salary for a underwriter in the United States is around $67,656 per year.
Avg Salary
Underwriters earn an average yearly salary of $67,656.
Wages typically start from $40,930 and go up to $111,834.
10% above national average Updated in 2019
Underwriter earnings by seniority
Top-level underwriter earnings begin at:
$53.77 per hour
$111,834 per year
Senior-level underwriter earnings begin at:
$42.38 per hour
$88,142 per year
Mid-level underwriter earnings begin at:
$32.53 per hour
$67,656 per year
Junior-level underwriter earnings begin at:
$24.97 per hour
$51,932 per year
Starting level underwriter earnings begin at:
$19.68 per hour
$40,930 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Underwriter salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $80,530 |
| District of Columbia | $80,410 |
| New Jersey | $79,930 |
| California | $78,750 |
| New York | $78,420 |
| Connecticut | $77,346 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,300 |
| Indiana | $77,190 |
| Massachusetts | $76,760 |
| Maryland | $76,450 |
| Washington | $76,110 |
| South Dakota | $74,810 |
| Kansas | $74,630 |
| Georgia | $73,910 |
| North Carolina | $71,570 |
| Montana | $71,290 |
| Oregon | $71,220 |
| Colorado | $71,180 |
| Illinois | $70,566 |
| Idaho | $68,710 |
| Ohio | $68,190 |
| Rhode Island | $68,040 |
| Kentucky | $67,276 |
| Iowa | $66,682 |
| Michigan | $65,450 |
| Maine | $65,040 |
| Tennessee | $64,860 |
| Missouri | $64,660 |
| Hawaii | $64,530 |
| Delaware | $64,350 |
| Virginia | $64,260 |
| Minnesota | $63,820 |
| Florida | $63,790 |
| Wisconsin | $63,490 |
| Arizona | $62,762 |
| Alaska | $61,840 |
| Nevada | $61,780 |
| Texas | $61,240 |
| Mississippi | $60,960 |
| Nebraska | $59,960 |
| North Dakota | $59,860 |
| Alabama | $59,650 |
| Wyoming | $58,630 |
| Vermont | $58,420 |
| Louisiana | $56,920 |
| Utah | $55,760 |
| Oklahoma | $55,450 |
| New Mexico | $54,430 |
| West Virginia | $52,890 |
| South Carolina | $50,010 |
| Arkansas | $47,030 |
| Puerto Rico | $37,730 |
| Guam | $36,650 |
How much does a Underwriter earn?
Those new to this field will typically start out towards the lower end of the underwriter salary scale and may move up in salary with experience. In addition, continuing education is required for advancement.
According to CollegeGrad.com, the median annual wages in 2014 for insurance underwriters in the top industries are:
Direct health and medical insurance carriers - $64,290/yr
Other insurance related activities - $64,160/yr
Direct insurance (except life, health, and medical) carriers - $63,700/yr
Management of companies and enterprises - $62,130/yr
Insurance agencies and brokerages - $61,680/yr
How do underwriter salaries compare to similar careers?
Underwriters earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than detectives but more than insurance appraisers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Detective salary | $83K |
| Urban planner salary | $74K |
| Mail superintendent salary | $77K |
| Arbitrator salary | $64K |
| Underwriter salary | $68K |
| Fire inspector salary | $62K |
| Police officer salary | $57K |
| Healthcare social worker salary | $57K |
| Insurance appraiser salary | $59K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)