# Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage

> Appraise automobile or other vehicle damage to determine repair costs for insurance claim settlement. Prepare insurance forms to indicate repair cost or cost estimates and recommendations. May seek agreement with automotive repair shop on repair costs.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/insurance-appraisers-auto-damage
- SOC code: 13-1032.00
- Career family: Business and finance
- Median annual pay: $78,240 (10th percentile $58,360, 90th percentile $101,590)
- Projected growth: Decline, -8.7%
- Openings a year: 700
- Typical entry education: Postsecondary certificate
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code CRE)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 70 |
| Investigative (I) | 34 |
| Artistic (A) | 3 |
| Social (S) | 11 |
| Enterprising (E) | 42 |
| Conventional (C) | 74 |

## What you'd do

- Working with Computers (importance 92/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 88/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 88/100)
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others (importance 85/100)
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 85/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 83/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 82/100)
- Getting Information (importance 81/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 77/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 76/100)

## Skills

Speaking, Writing, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Time Management, Judgment and Decision Making, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Active Learning

## Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Computers and Electronics, Mechanical, Administrative, Education and Training, Law and Government, Mathematics, Transportation, Administration and Management

## Also called

Appraisal Specialist, Appraiser, Auto Body Appraiser, Auto Body Repair Estimator, Auto Collision Estimator, Auto Damage Insurance Appraiser, Automobile Appraiser (Auto Appraiser), Automobile Body Estimator (Auto Body Estimator), Automobile Damage Appraiser (Auto Damage Appraiser), Automobile Damage Estimator (Auto Damage Estimator)

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4706) (CIP 4706, 713 colleges)
- [Insurance](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5217) (CIP 5217, 113 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [University of Wisconsin-Madison Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-wisconsin-madison-main-campus-3084) | Insurance | $80,508 | $105,992 | $15,000 |
| [St. John's University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/st-john-s-university-new-york-2579) | Insurance | $73,673 | $105,688 | $19,500 |
| [Saint Joseph's University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/saint-joseph-s-university-2308) | Insurance | $70,669 | $101,930 | $22,375 |
| [Georgia State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/georgia-state-university-1077) | Insurance | $70,639 | $101,040 | $22,875 |
| [University of Houston-Downtown](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-houston-downtown-2922) | Insurance | $70,256 | $98,510 | $24,500 |
| [University of South Carolina-Columbia Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-south-carolina-columbia-main-campus-3042) | Insurance | $69,288 | $96,539 | $21,000 |
| [University of Georgia](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-georgia-2912) | Insurance | $69,528 | $94,729 | $16,236 |
| [Illinois State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/illinois-state-university-1264) | Insurance | $68,692 | $94,124 | $19,500 |

## Related careers

- [Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/transportation-vehicle-equipment-and-systems-inspectors-except-aviation): $92,100 median pay
- [Automotive Body and Related Repairers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/automotive-body-and-related-repairers): $54,890 median pay
- [Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/automotive-service-technicians-and-mechanics): $50,620 median pay
- [Appraisers of Personal and Business Property](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/appraisers-of-personal-and-business-property): $67,960 median pay
- [Automotive Engineering Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/automotive-engineering-technicians): $74,510 median pay
- [Cost Estimators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/cost-estimators): $78,740 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.