Insurance Underwriter salary
From 94 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 13-2053: Insurance Underwriters
At a glance
- Mostly Level IV (expert). 46% of Insurance Underwriter filings are Level IV, compared with 18% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: Marsh. 10 filings (11% of the total), median $130,442.
- Median up 48% since FY2020. From $81,576 in FY2020 to $120,411 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Insurance Underwriter H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 94 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Insurance Underwriter jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 13-2053, Insurance Underwriters). The median base salary is $100,736, 18% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $78,424 and $139,000. The most common wage level is Level IV (expert), at 46% of filings. New York, NY has the most filings (31), and Marsh is the employer that files the most (10).
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Insurance Underwriter
Employers with the most Insurance Underwriter filings. Bar: share of all Insurance Underwriter filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 32% of filings
Mid-level · 22% of filings
Senior · 0% of filings
Expert · 46% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $65,662 | 28 |
| Level II · Qualified | $86,000 | 19 |
| Level III · Experienced | – | 0 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $140,050 | 40 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Insurance Underwriter pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 2 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $103,500 | 31 |
| Miami, FL | $96,000 | 11 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Insurance Underwriter does
Review individual applications for insurance to evaluate degree of risk involved and determine acceptance of applications.
Typical tasks
- Examine documents to determine degree of risk from factors such as applicant health, financial standing and value, and condition of property.
- Decline excessive risks.
- Write to field representatives, medical personnel, or others to obtain further information, quote rates, or explain company underwriting policies.
- Evaluate possibility of losses due to catastrophe or excessive insurance.
- Review company records to determine amount of insurance in force on single risk or group of closely related risks.
- Decrease value of policy when risk is substandard and specify applicable endorsements or apply rating to ensure safe, profitable distribution of risks, using reference materials.
Preparation
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
O*NET occupation: Insurance Underwriters (13-2053.00). This section includes information from the 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. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Insurance Underwriters), the median annual wage was $81,370 in May 2025, with 105,420 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $100,736, 24% higher.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $62,387 | $55,530 |
| 25th percentile | $78,424 | $64,620 |
| Median | $100,736 | $81,370 |
| 75th percentile | $139,000 | $110,390 |
| 90th percentile | $160,608 | $145,160 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $62,387 |
| 25th | $78,424 |
| 50th (median) | $100,736 |
| 75th | $139,000 |
| 90th | $160,608 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $81,576 | $65,146 | $117,000 | 29 |
| FY2021 | $75,000 | $58,694 | $82,000 | 23 |
| FY2022 | $87,500 | $68,145 | $122,500 | 29 |
| FY2023 | $90,657 | $64,704 | $126,562 | 24 |
| FY2024 | $102,650 | $67,288 | $142,000 | 41 |
| FY2025 | $88,462 | $67,250 | $112,715 | 43 |
| FY2026 | $120,411 | $83,250 | $146,475 | 51 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Insurance Underwriter make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Insurance Underwriter jobs is $100,736 (94 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $78,424 and $139,000.
What does an entry-level Insurance Underwriter earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $65,662. Level I accounts for 32% of Insurance Underwriter filings.
Do H-1B Insurance Underwriters earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($100,736) is 24% higher than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($81,370, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.