$Who Earns What

How much does a claims adjuster make?

US Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators

Answer: A typical claims adjuster in the United States makes $78,000 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Yearly pay of a typical person doing this job in the US
$78,000

Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 324,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).

Lower earner
$48,850
10th from the bottom of 100
Typical person
$78,000
Right in the middle (median)
Higher earner
$117,040
10th from the top of 100

If 100 people had this job

Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-right

Hover over a person to see their yearly pay

47 of 100
not many

Claims adjuster pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)

Claims adjuster pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$48,850$78,000$117,040about 324,000
States where claims adjusters earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
New Jersey$95,690about 10,000
California$91,790about 24,000
Connecticut$88,330about 3,000
New York$87,130about 17,000
Rhode Island$86,520about 1,000

Why does pay differ?

In the U.S., pay can differ with experience, claim specialty, employer, and location; BLS reports wage differences by industry and area. State licensing rules vary, and claims can bring irregular evening or weekend hours.

What if you lived in a different state?

Pay varies a lot by state in the US
Whole US$78,000
New Jersey$95,690
California$91,790
Connecticut$88,330
New York$87,130
Rhode Island$86,520
Louisiana$65,220
Arizona$65,110
Montana$63,860

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

What does a claims adjuster do?

Review settled claims to determine that payments and settlements are made in accordance with company practices and procedures. Confer with legal counsel on claims requiring litigation. May also settle insurance claims. Excludes “Fire Inspectors and Investigators” (33-2021).

What's a typical day like?

They inspect a dented car or damaged building, take notes, then check the policy and claim forms at a desk. They interview people involved, estimate the loss, and recommend or approve a payment.

How to get this job

In the U.S., a high school diploma is usually enough; new adjusters learn with small claims under an experienced worker. State rules differ: some require classes or an exam, while some insurer employees work under a company license.

Usually a bachelor's degree (preparation level 4 of 5)

Good for people who like keeping things organized and leading and selling.

Did you know?

In many states, adjusters handling an officially declared catastrophe may be exempt from regular licensing rules.

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Sources and data

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine

Pages used for the text

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY