# Insurance Underwriters

> Review individual applications for insurance to evaluate degree of risk involved and determine acceptance of applications.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/insurance-underwriters
- SOC code: 13-2053.00
- Career family: Business and finance
- Median annual pay: $81,370 (10th percentile $55,530, 90th percentile $145,160)
- Projected growth: Decline, -3.8%
- Openings a year: 6,800
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code CEI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 12 |
| Investigative (I) | 44 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 31 |
| Enterprising (E) | 58 |
| Conventional (C) | 86 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 95/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 91/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 86/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 85/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 83/100)
- Processing Information (importance 78/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 77/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 76/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 75/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 73/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Speaking, Judgment and Decision Making, Active Learning, Complex Problem Solving, Coordination, Monitoring

## Knowledge

English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Mathematics, Sales and Marketing, Administrative, Economics and Accounting, Law and Government, Computers and Electronics, Administration and Management, Psychology

## Also called

Account Manager Underwriter, Account Underwriter, Automobile and Property Underwriter, Bond Underwriter, Casualty Underwriter, Commercial Credit Underwriter, Commercial Insurance Underwriter, Commercial Lines Underwriter, Commercial Underwriter, Credit Underwriter

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

- [Business Administration, Management and Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5202) (CIP 5202, 2,372 colleges)
- [Finance and Financial Management Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5208) (CIP 5208, 924 colleges)
- [Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5213) (CIP 5213, 631 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 |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Washington University in St Louis WUSTL](https://www.collegesref.com/college/washington-university-in-st-louis-wustl-3172) | Finance and Financial Management Services | $108,590 | $185,551 | $20,750 |
| [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/carnegie-mellon-university-406) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $97,419 | $160,783 | $19,000 |
| [University of Notre Dame-South Bend IN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-notre-dame-south-bend-in-3005) | Finance and Financial Management Services | $141,543 | $160,313 | $19,500 |
| [New York University NYU](https://www.collegesref.com/college/new-york-university-nyu-1866) | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $111,101 | $158,559 | $13,250 |
| [University of Pennsylvania UPENN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pennsylvania-upenn-3009) | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $125,147 | $153,279 | $11,250 |
| [Georgetown University-DC](https://www.collegesref.com/college/georgetown-university-dc-1068) | Finance and Financial Management Services | $126,622 | $152,744 | $13,088 |
| [Boston College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/boston-college-285) | Finance and Financial Management Services | $92,127 | $147,746 | $18,650 |
| [Wake Forest University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/wake-forest-university-3149) | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | not reported | $146,608 | not reported |

## Related careers

- [Financial Risk Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/financial-risk-specialists): $117,330 median pay
- [Credit Analysts](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/credit-analysts): $83,510 median pay
- [Loan Officers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/loan-officers): $76,690 median pay
- [Insurance Sales Agents](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/insurance-sales-agents): $62,280 median pay
- [Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/claims-adjusters-examiners-and-investigators): $78,000 median pay
- [Personal Financial Advisors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/personal-financial-advisors): $105,070 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.