Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigatorss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $80,470 ≈ $39/hr
National median salary $78,000
Total employment 324,230 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth -5.1%
Decline
Annual openings 21,100 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 356,100 → 337,900 (-18,200)
Typical entry education High school diploma or equivalent
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$103,060
- Connecticut$94,410
- Maryland$94,280
- New Jersey$94,120
- Alaska$92,930
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- North Dakota$69,540
- Nevada$69,730
- Montana$70,660
- Louisiana$70,790
- New Mexico$70,890
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $103,060 | $101,150 | $50 | +28.1% | 360 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $94,410 | $88,330 | $45 | +17.3% | 3,190 |
| 3 | Maryland | $94,280 | $95,560 | $45 | +17.2% | — |
| 4 | New Jersey | $94,120 | $95,690 | $45 | +17% | 9,650 |
| 5 | Alaska | $92,930 | $87,670 | $45 | +15.5% | 220 |
| 6 | California | $91,860 | $91,790 | $44 | +14.2% | 24,290 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $91,320 | $86,520 | $44 | +13.5% | 1,150 |
| 8 | Vermont | $90,250 | $83,970 | $43 | +12.2% | 280 |
| 9 | New York | $89,860 | $87,130 | $43 | +11.7% | 17,330 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $88,750 | $83,740 | $43 | +10.3% | 5,070 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $87,810 | $83,890 | $42 | +9.1% | 880 |
| 12 | Washington | $85,270 | $80,700 | $41 | +6% | 6,180 |
| 13 | Oregon | $84,720 | $81,640 | $41 | +5.3% | 2,950 |
| 14 | Colorado | $84,250 | $77,620 | $41 | +4.7% | 5,680 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $81,510 | $78,900 | $39 | +1.3% | 1,030 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $81,340 | $78,350 | $39 | +1.1% | 5,530 |
| 17 | Idaho | $81,140 | $77,340 | $39 | +0.8% | 1,320 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $80,650 | $79,080 | $39 | +0.2% | 900 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $80,430 | $76,400 | $39 | +0% | 180 |
| 20 | Maine | $80,390 | $78,590 | $39 | -0.1% | 1,650 |
| 21 | Alabama | $80,130 | $79,710 | $39 | -0.4% | 4,040 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $79,780 | $77,290 | $38 | -0.9% | 13,270 |
| 23 | Kansas | $79,750 | $77,290 | $38 | -0.9% | 4,570 |
| 24 | Illinois | $79,680 | $77,010 | $38 | -1% | 14,210 |
| 25 | Michigan | $79,640 | $78,850 | $38 | -1% | 6,640 |
| 26 | Texas | $79,560 | $78,800 | $38 | -1.1% | 29,220 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $78,840 | $78,010 | $38 | -2% | 6,390 |
| 28 | Virginia | $78,220 | $74,240 | $38 | -2.8% | 7,860 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $77,930 | $78,160 | $37 | -3.2% | 8,760 |
| 30 | Delaware | $77,570 | $72,370 | $37 | -3.6% | — |
| 31 | Missouri | $77,490 | $75,840 | $37 | -3.7% | 6,200 |
| 32 | Florida | $76,760 | $76,920 | $37 | -4.6% | 28,100 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $76,730 | $75,830 | $37 | -4.6% | 3,160 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $76,300 | $75,310 | $37 | -5.2% | 9,880 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $76,190 | $77,100 | $37 | -5.3% | — |
| 36 | South Carolina | $76,190 | $75,370 | $37 | -5.3% | 4,130 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $76,120 | $73,840 | $37 | -5.4% | 3,670 |
| 38 | Georgia | $75,700 | $73,320 | $36 | -5.9% | — |
| 39 | Arkansas | $74,530 | $73,920 | $36 | -7.4% | 2,660 |
| 40 | Ohio | $74,520 | $67,990 | $36 | -7.4% | 13,650 |
| 41 | Indiana | $74,310 | $73,560 | $36 | -7.7% | 4,340 |
| 42 | Iowa | $74,300 | $72,640 | $36 | -7.7% | 3,930 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $73,400 | $67,290 | $35 | -8.8% | 1,340 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $72,820 | $71,260 | $35 | -9.5% | 4,140 |
| 45 | Utah | $72,710 | $69,000 | $35 | -9.6% | 2,440 |
| 46 | Arizona | $72,290 | $65,110 | $35 | -10.2% | 13,830 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $70,890 | $67,930 | $34 | -11.9% | 1,280 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $70,790 | $65,220 | $34 | -12% | 3,340 |
| 49 | Montana | $70,660 | $63,860 | $34 | -12.2% | 1,230 |
| 50 | Nevada | $69,730 | $62,730 | $34 | -13.3% | — |
| 51 | North Dakota | $69,540 | $65,460 | $33 | -13.6% | 750 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 405 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Merced, CA | $110,910 | $103,890 | 40 |
| 2 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $108,510 | $100,440 | 70 |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $105,340 | $105,960 | 3,390 |
| 4 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $103,360 | $91,110 | 40 |
| 5 | Boulder, CO | $103,080 | $102,060 | 30 |
| 6 | Salinas, CA | $101,900 | $102,060 | 150 |
| 7 | Barnstable Town, MA | $100,480 | $92,010 | 40 |
| 8 | Kingston, NY | $100,430 | $90,360 | 30 |
| 9 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $99,660 | $92,200 | 100 |
| 10 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $98,700 | $98,890 | 4,280 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing claims adjusters, examiners, and investigatorss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Natural Gas Distribution | $106,350 | $109,070 | 70 |
| 2 | Rail Transportation | $103,850 | $107,100 | 50 |
| 3 | Rail Transportation | $103,850 | $107,100 | 50 |
| 4 | Utilities | $98,760 | $96,890 | 220 |
| 5 | Sector 22 - Utilities | $98,760 | $96,890 | 220 |
| 6 | Postal Service (Federal Government) | $94,300 | $93,100 | 50 |
| 7 | Postal Service (Federal Government) | $94,300 | $93,100 | 50 |
| 8 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $93,660 | $95,100 | 46,690 |
| 9 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $93,660 | $95,100 | 46,740 |
| 10 | Elementary and Secondary Schools | $91,740 | $92,150 | 60 |
| 11 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $90,920 | $91,260 | 59,520 |
| 12 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $90,920 | $91,260 | 59,520 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators make in the U.S.?
The median claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators salary in the United States is $78,000 per year (mean $80,470), and about 80% earn between $48,850 and $117,040.
How much do claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators make per hour?
Roughly $39 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $80,470 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators at $103,060 per year (median $101,150).
What is the job outlook for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators?
Employment is projected to change -5.1% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 21,100 openings per year.
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Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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