Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage
Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage (SOC 13-1032) earn a median $78,240 a year ($37.61 an hour) in the United States, with 11,560 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Kentucky.
What insurance appraisers, auto damage do
Insurance appraisers for auto damage inspect damaged vehicles and estimate what it will cost to repair them, so an insurance claim can be settled. At the damaged vehicle they look at the extent of structural, body, mechanical, and electrical damage, then prepare an estimate with the costs of parts and labor. They complete the insurance forms that record the repair cost and their recommendation, and they may negotiate with the repair shop to reach agreement on the price. A central judgment is whether repair makes sense at all or whether the vehicle should be treated as a total loss and paid at its market value. Titles include auto damage appraiser, auto body appraiser, and auto collision estimator. The occupation is narrower than claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators, who handle the broader claim, and it differs from the mechanics and body repairers who do the repair. They estimate parts and labor using standard automotive labor and parts cost manuals, determine salvage value on total-loss vehicles, and can arrange a second appraisal when a shop disagrees about repair cost.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report some college coursework as the typical level of education for this occupation.
Also called: Appraisal Specialist, Appraiser, Auto Body Appraiser, Auto Body Repair Estimator, Auto Collision Estimator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $28.06 | $31.28 | $37.61 | $44.17 | $48.84 | $37.93 | 11,560 |
| Annual | $58,360 | $65,050 | $78,240 | $91,880 | $101,590 | $78,900 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where insurance appraisers, auto damage earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kentucky | Hourly | $27.50 | $44.36 | $47.09 | $48.64 | $50.03 | $45.66 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $57,200 | $92,270 | $97,950 | $101,160 | $104,050 | $94,960 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $36.83 | $41.33 | $46.02 | $48.59 | $54.19 | $45.54 | 310 | 0.05 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $76,610 | $85,970 | $95,720 | $101,060 | $112,710 | $94,710 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $39.22 | $39.30 | $45.33 | $47.92 | $47.92 | $44.08 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $81,590 | $81,730 | $94,280 | $99,670 | $99,670 | $91,680 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $36.36 | $36.36 | $43.14 | $45.54 | $61.59 | $43.96 | 210 | 0.13 | 1.69 |
| Annual | $75,630 | $75,630 | $89,740 | $94,710 | $128,110 | $91,430 | ||||
| South Carolina | Hourly | $36.52 | $38.83 | $41.67 | $45.38 | $46.20 | $41.87 | 220 | 0.10 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $75,960 | $80,760 | $86,680 | $94,390 | $96,100 | $87,090 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $23.72 | $27.25 | $38.08 | $48.18 | $48.80 | $37.22 | 910 | 0.07 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $49,340 | $56,680 | $79,200 | $100,220 | $101,500 | $77,430 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $23.56 | $23.95 | $30.51 | $38.61 | $49.00 | $33.71 | 820 | 0.15 | 1.98 |
| Annual | $49,000 | $49,810 | $63,470 | $80,300 | $101,920 | $70,120 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $27.95 | $31.22 | $38.43 | $45.38 | $59.92 | $40.08 | 680 | 0.19 | 2.52 |
| Annual | $58,130 | $64,940 | $79,930 | $94,380 | $124,640 | $83,360 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $23.21 | $29.60 | $34.38 | $36.65 | $45.33 | $34.04 | 560 | 0.09 | 1.23 |
| Annual | $48,270 | $61,570 | $71,510 | $76,240 | $94,280 | $70,810 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $25.74 | $35.80 | $37.95 | $48.61 | $52.85 | $39.68 | 550 | 0.03 | 0.41 |
| Annual | $53,530 | $74,450 | $78,930 | $101,120 | $109,930 | $82,530 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $39.23 | $41.89 | $47.92 | $47.92 | $47.92 | $45.14 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $81,600 | $87,130 | $99,670 | $99,670 | $99,670 | $93,890 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $32.58 | $39.17 | $47.07 | $49.82 | $49.89 | $43.82 | 230 | 0.08 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $67,760 | $81,470 | $97,910 | $103,630 | $103,770 | $91,140 | ||||
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | Hourly | $30.14 | $36.48 | $44.43 | $44.43 | $44.43 | $40.23 | 50 | 0.49 | 6.53 |
| Annual | $62,700 | $75,870 | $92,420 | $92,420 | $92,420 | $83,670 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $35.71 | $43.15 | $43.15 | $43.15 | $45.17 | $42.47 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.18 |
| Annual | $74,280 | $89,760 | $89,760 | $89,760 | $93,950 | $88,340 | ||||
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | Hourly | $36.36 | $36.36 | $43.14 | $43.14 | $46.86 | $41.76 | 130 | 0.22 | 2.94 |
| Annual | $75,630 | $75,630 | $89,740 | $89,740 | $97,460 | $86,860 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $25.34 | $37.18 | $38.37 | $48.20 | $48.84 | $40.75 | 470 | 0.12 | 1.57 |
| Annual | $52,710 | $77,330 | $79,810 | $100,250 | $101,590 | $84,760 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $23.21 | $29.60 | $36.41 | $36.78 | $46.43 | $34.41 | 370 | 0.08 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $48,270 | $61,570 | $75,730 | $76,490 | $96,570 | $71,570 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $27.84 | $30.20 | $35.94 | $45.45 | $50.83 | $38.16 | 350 | 0.13 | 1.75 |
| Annual | $57,910 | $62,810 | $74,760 | $94,530 | $105,720 | $79,370 | ||||
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | Hourly | $24.56 | $31.95 | $32.25 | $40.29 | $49.69 | $37.45 | 330 | 0.30 | 4.04 |
| Annual | $51,090 | $66,460 | $67,080 | $83,810 | $103,360 | $77,890 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $39.22 | $39.22 | $40.56 | $48.46 | $52.07 | $43.40 | 280 | 0.10 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $81,590 | $81,590 | $84,370 | $100,790 | $108,300 | $90,260 | ||||
Top industries employing insurance appraisers, auto damage
Insurance Carriers employ 48.0% of insurance appraisers, auto damage nationally (5,550 jobs) at a median $79,200 a year ($38.08 an hour), followed by Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (47.4%) and Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services (1.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance Carriers NAICS 524100 | 5,550 | 48.0% | $79,200 | $38.08 |
| Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities NAICS 524200 | 5,480 | 47.4% | $77,370 | $37.20 |
| Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services NAICS 561500 | 200 | 1.7% | $79,250 | $38.10 |
| Automobile Dealers NAICS 441100 | 110 | 1.0% | * | * |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (11,560). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $62,680 for insurance appraisers, auto damage in May 2021 and $78,240 in May 2025, with employment of 11,430 and 11,560.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $62,680 | $30.13 | 11,430 |
| May 2022 | $69,380 | $33.36 | 11,430 |
| May 2023 | $74,520 | $35.83 | 8,670 |
| May 2024 | $76,650 | $36.85 | 7,790 |
| May 2025 | $78,240 | $37.61 | 11,560 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
38 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kentucky profile | $47.09 | $97,950 | $57,200 | $104,050 | ** | ** | ** |
| 2 | Pennsylvania profile | $46.02 | $95,720 | $76,610 | $112,710 | 310 | 0.05 | 0.69 |
| 3 | New Jersey profile | $45.33 | $94,280 | $81,590 | $99,670 | ** | ** | ** |
| 4 | Connecticut profile | $43.14 | $89,740 | $75,630 | $128,110 | 210 | 0.13 | 1.69 |
| 5 | South Carolina profile | $41.67 | $86,680 | $75,960 | $96,100 | 220 | 0.10 | 1.31 |
| 6 | Arizona profile | $41.36 | $86,030 | $66,800 | $107,930 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.18 |
| 7 | Oregon profile | $40.04 | $83,270 | $74,750 | $102,460 | 170 | 0.09 | 1.18 |
| 8 | Maryland profile | $39.84 | $82,870 | $75,140 | $94,720 | ** | ** | ** |
| 9 | Utah profile | $39.70 | $82,570 | $67,010 | $122,580 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.42 |
| 10 | Oklahoma profile | $39.59 | $82,340 | $64,270 | $99,640 | ** | ** | ** |
| 11 | Georgia profile | $39.17 | $81,470 | $60,640 | $103,770 | ** | ** | ** |
| 12 | Virginia profile | $39.17 | $81,470 | $65,710 | $94,830 | ** | ** | ** |
| 13 | New York profile | $39.02 | $81,150 | $63,080 | $104,080 | 360 | 0.04 | 0.50 |
| 14 | Massachusetts profile | $38.43 | $79,930 | $58,130 | $124,640 | 680 | 0.19 | 2.52 |
| 15 | Maine profile | $38.23 | $79,510 | $53,890 | $132,720 | 50 | 0.08 | 1.06 |
| 16 | Texas profile | $38.08 | $79,200 | $49,340 | $101,500 | 910 | 0.07 | 0.87 |
| 17 | Iowa profile | $38.02 | $79,090 | $44,480 | $81,840 | ** | ** | ** |
| 18 | California profile | $37.95 | $78,930 | $53,530 | $109,930 | 550 | 0.03 | 0.41 |
| 19 | Nevada profile | $37.75 | $78,510 | $50,870 | $83,000 | 80 | 0.05 | 0.73 |
| 20 | Washington profile | $37.72 | $78,450 | $72,230 | $100,140 | 190 | 0.05 | 0.70 |
| 21 | New Mexico profile | $37.65 | $78,310 | $65,280 | $82,480 | ** | ** | ** |
| 22 | Michigan profile | $37.05 | $77,060 | $62,040 | $81,260 | 310 | 0.07 | 0.95 |
| 23 | Indiana profile | $36.90 | $76,750 | $61,680 | $98,280 | 250 | 0.08 | 1.05 |
| 24 | Minnesota profile | $36.76 | $76,460 | $67,480 | $101,280 | ** | ** | ** |
| 25 | Idaho profile | $36.59 | $76,110 | $63,160 | $81,220 | ** | ** | ** |
| 26 | Wisconsin profile | $36.18 | $75,260 | $66,530 | $78,380 | ** | ** | ** |
| 27 | Kansas profile | $36.09 | $75,080 | $66,870 | $101,580 | ** | ** | ** |
| 28 | North Carolina profile | $35.97 | $74,810 | $59,540 | $104,480 | 520 | 0.11 | 1.43 |
| 29 | Louisiana profile | $34.64 | $72,040 | $63,240 | $95,210 | 100 | 0.05 | 0.73 |
| 30 | Colorado profile | $34.42 | $71,600 | $59,300 | $112,700 | 330 | 0.11 | 1.53 |
| 31 | Mississippi profile | $34.40 | $71,550 | $52,550 | $92,550 | 120 | 0.11 | 1.43 |
| 32 | Illinois profile | $34.38 | $71,510 | $48,270 | $94,280 | 560 | 0.09 | 1.23 |
| 33 | Missouri profile | $32.67 | $67,950 | $60,690 | $96,720 | 190 | 0.07 | 0.87 |
| 34 | Tennessee profile | $32.25 | $67,080 | $51,090 | $100,030 | 420 | 0.13 | 1.74 |
| 35 | Arkansas profile | $30.75 | $63,960 | $46,930 | $79,970 | ** | ** | ** |
| 36 | Ohio profile | $30.51 | $63,470 | $49,000 | $101,920 | 820 | 0.15 | 1.98 |
| 37 | Nebraska profile | $29.98 | $62,350 | $60,520 | $102,340 | 90 | 0.09 | 1.19 |
| 38 | Florida profile | $29.48 | $61,320 | $39,050 | $96,650 | ** | ** | ** |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (13-1030), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Business and Financial Operations Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 13-1032 Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked. A withheld or top-coded median in that table shows the marker explained above.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 13-1032, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 13-1032.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.