Side-by-side distribution
Insurance Agent
$62,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 16%
- Live roles
- 1,065
Underwriter
$115,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 45.1%
- Live roles
- 782
Highest-paying jobs
Software Engineer, Agent - Insurance
SVP, Broker Distribution (P&C Small Commercial Insurance)
P&C Insurance Sales Agent
P&C Insurance Sales Agent
P&C Insurance Sales Agent
P&C Insurance Sales Agent
P&C Insurance Sales Agent
P&C Insurance Sales Agent
P&C Insurance Sales Agent
Licensed Life Insurance Sales Agent
Highest-paying jobs
Senior Underwriter - North America Casualty Reinsurance
Vice President, CMBS Underwriter
Senior Underwriter, Property Facultative
FHA/HUD Deputy Chief Underwriter – LEAN
North America Casualty Treaty Reinsurance Underwriter
Commercial Underwriter, P&C
Latin America (LatAm) Surety Underwriter
Commercial Real Estate Underwriter - Senior Vice President
AVP Underwriter-Primary/Excess Casualty
Property Program Underwriter, Consultant - Reinsurance and Alternative Risk Transfer
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| AT AAA - The Auto Club Group | $62,500 | 84 |
AAA Club Alliance
|
$45,000 | 25 |
Farmers District 40
|
$65,000 | 20 |
|
AAA
|
$45,011 | 15 |
Matic
|
$55,099 | 4 |
Steadily
|
$150,000 | 2 |
Independence Pet Holdings
|
$41,902 | 2 |
|
Sierra
|
$285,000 | 1 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Travelers
|
$144,750 | 44 |
|
The Hartford
|
$138,200 | 26 |
| RS Ryan Specialty | $112,500 | 17 |
AIG
|
$100,000 | 13 |
|
Nationwide
|
$149,000 | 11 |
Bank of America
|
$134,000 | 11 |
First American
|
$114,000 | 9 |
MSIG USA
|
$162,500 | 8 |
Insurance Agent salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $170,000 | 3 |
Underwriter salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $150,500 | 20 |
| Seattle | $144,850 | 6 |
| Boston | $143,775 | 18 |
| Los Angeles | $142,800 | 23 |
| San Francisco | $138,400 | 14 |
| New York | $134,375 | 76 |
| Chicago | $132,200 | 57 |
| Denver | $115,500 | 9 |
| Toronto | $72,500 | 6 |
Insurance Agent vs Underwriter: which pays more?
The median for Insurance Agent is $62,500 per year (typically $50,710–$70,000), versus $115,000 for Underwriter ($90,000–$144,750). That puts Underwriter about 84% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Insurance Agent and Underwriter are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.