How to Become an Insurance Underwriter
Decide which risks an insurer should take and at what price by evaluating applications against data and judgment. It typically requires a bachelor's degree, with a median salary of $81,370 per year and declining projected job growth.
Median pay
$81,370/yr
Middle half
$64,620 to $110,390
Job growth
Declining
Openings / yr
8,200
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Risk Assessment
- Data Analysis
- Attention to Detail
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
Helpful certifications
- CPCU (Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter)
- AU (Associate in Underwriting)
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
73/100
Work-life balance
67/100
Stress level
66/100
Related careers
- Financial Manager$166,570 median
- Actuary$130,000 median
- Financial Risk Specialist$117,330 median
- Personal Financial Advisor$105,070 median
- Financial Analyst$102,740 median
- Management Consultant$101,860 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Insurance Underwriter make?
The median pay for an Insurance Underwriter is $81,370 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $64,620 and $110,390 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become an Insurance Underwriter?
The usual entry point is a bachelor's degree. Common majors are Finance, Business Administration, Economics, Risk Management, and Actuarial Science.
Is Insurance Underwriter a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is declining (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 8,200 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does an Insurance Underwriter use most?
Common skills for this role are Risk Assessment, Data Analysis, Attention to Detail, Critical Thinking, and Writing.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).