How much does a property appraiser make?
Answer: A typical property appraiser in the United States makes $67,960 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 57,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Property appraiser pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,030 | $67,960 | $122,660 | about 57,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $92,390 | about 1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $91,750 | about 1,000 |
| California | $88,900 | about 6,000 |
| Connecticut | $86,050 | about 630 |
| Washington | $83,710 | about 1,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the US, pay can differ with experience, license level, location, and employer—banks, local governments, and real-estate firms pay differently. Independent appraisers are paid per appraisal, so their workload and hours can also affect what they earn.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a property appraiser do?
What's a typical day like?
They check property records, visit a home or building to inspect and photograph it, then compare it with similar nearby properties. Back at a desk, they estimate its value and write a report explaining their evidence.
How to get this job
Most US entrants earn a bachelor’s degree, though some assessor jobs need less. Appraisers take state-approved classes, gain supervised experience, then pass a licensing exam; assessor requirements vary by state.
Did you know?
Unlike appraisers who often value one property at a time, US assessors can use computer systems to value a whole neighborhood at once.
Earn more in the same field
Business and Financial Operations jobs that pay a bit moreSources 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
- www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/appraisers-and-assessors-of-real-estate.h
- appraisalfoundation.org/pages/real-property-appraisal
- www.nar.realtor/appraisal-valuation/real-estate-appraiser-salary
- www.onetonline.org/link/details/13-2023.00
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY