Property Appraisers and Assessors
Property Appraisers and Assessors (SOC 13-2020) earn a median $67,960 a year ($32.67 an hour) in the United States, with 57,070 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What property appraisers and assessors do
Property appraisers and assessors estimate the value of property. The OEWS category combines two SOC occupations. Appraisers and assessors of real estate value land and buildings, and assessors may apply tax schedules to arrive at the taxable value. Appraisers of personal and business property value tangible items such as jewelry, art, antiques, collectibles, and equipment, and may also value land. Work typically involves inspecting and measuring the property, photographing it, describing its physical characteristics, searching public records for sales, leases, and assessments, and comparing similar properties. They then compute a final value that takes into account factors such as depreciation, replacement cost, and income potential, and write a report that meets appraisal standards. The occupation excludes insurance appraisers for auto damage and claims adjusters.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a bachelor's degree as the typical level of education for this occupation.
Also called: Accredited Appraiser, Aircraft Appraiser, Appraiser, Appraiser Analyst, Art Appraiser.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $19.25 | $24.51 | $32.67 | $44.60 | $58.97 | $36.43 | 57,070 |
| Annual | $40,030 | $50,970 | $67,960 | $92,760 | $122,660 | $75,770 | ||
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 property appraisers and assessors 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 | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $30.63 | $37.62 | $51.92 | $64.49 | $69.56 | $52.29 | 110 | 0.16 | 0.43 |
| Annual | $63,710 | $78,240 | $107,980 | $134,140 | $144,680 | $108,770 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $19.73 | $33.56 | $44.42 | $66.97 | $67.50 | $47.80 | 1,190 | 0.28 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $41,040 | $69,800 | $92,390 | $139,300 | $140,400 | $99,420 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $27.81 | $33.14 | $44.11 | $55.02 | $64.99 | $46.16 | 1,100 | 0.30 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $57,850 | $68,920 | $91,750 | $114,430 | $135,180 | $96,010 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $27.28 | $33.81 | $42.74 | $58.43 | $68.08 | $46.33 | 6,380 | 0.35 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $56,750 | $70,310 | $88,900 | $121,530 | $141,610 | $96,360 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $27.16 | $33.91 | $41.37 | $52.45 | $65.02 | $45.08 | 630 | 0.37 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $56,490 | $70,530 | $86,050 | $109,100 | $135,240 | $93,760 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $27.28 | $33.81 | $42.74 | $58.43 | $68.08 | $46.33 | 6,380 | 0.35 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $56,750 | $70,310 | $88,900 | $121,530 | $141,610 | $96,360 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $22.65 | $24.93 | $31.66 | $39.63 | $52.12 | $35.30 | 5,240 | 0.37 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $47,110 | $51,850 | $65,840 | $82,430 | $108,410 | $73,410 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $25.26 | $29.77 | $37.53 | $49.40 | $64.02 | $42.06 | 2,860 | 0.30 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $52,540 | $61,930 | $78,060 | $102,760 | $133,150 | $87,490 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $18.19 | $26.47 | $31.55 | $39.83 | $52.04 | $35.01 | 2,830 | 0.29 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $37,840 | $55,060 | $65,620 | $82,840 | $108,240 | $72,820 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $17.45 | $22.41 | $30.03 | $39.33 | $57.09 | $33.17 | 2,490 | 0.51 | 1.39 |
| Annual | $36,300 | $46,610 | $62,460 | $81,810 | $118,750 | $68,990 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $38.13 | $39.37 | $50.76 | $64.19 | $81.43 | $56.98 | 650 | 0.28 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $79,320 | $81,890 | $105,580 | $133,520 | $169,360 | $118,520 | ||||
| Vallejo, CA | Hourly | $35.04 | $49.76 | $49.76 | $63.91 | $65.06 | $50.49 | 30 | 0.23 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $72,880 | $103,510 | $103,510 | $132,930 | $135,320 | $105,020 | ||||
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | Hourly | $36.60 | $49.44 | $49.44 | $64.08 | $64.08 | $51.98 | 70 | 0.56 | 1.52 |
| Annual | $76,120 | $102,840 | $102,840 | $133,290 | $133,290 | $108,110 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | $31.27 | $33.84 | $48.01 | $63.55 | $80.50 | $49.88 | 440 | 0.29 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $65,040 | $70,390 | $99,850 | $132,180 | $167,430 | $103,760 | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $25.35 | $35.16 | $47.98 | $61.88 | $75.58 | $48.81 | 700 | 0.36 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $52,730 | $73,130 | $99,800 | $128,720 | $157,210 | $101,530 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| 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 | $28.88 | $33.56 | $39.86 | $61.06 | $67.44 | $46.37 | 2,590 | 0.27 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $60,060 | $69,800 | $82,920 | $127,010 | $140,280 | $96,440 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $29.26 | $35.45 | $44.04 | $49.30 | $61.26 | $45.66 | 2,240 | 0.36 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $60,860 | $73,730 | $91,600 | $102,550 | $127,420 | $94,970 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $24.53 | $27.73 | $30.87 | $38.82 | $48.77 | $35.97 | 1,360 | 0.41 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $51,020 | $57,680 | $64,220 | $80,740 | $101,450 | $74,820 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $20.17 | $24.59 | $31.36 | $44.48 | $60.09 | $36.08 | 1,250 | 0.43 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $41,950 | $51,150 | $65,240 | $92,520 | $124,990 | $75,040 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $17.94 | $22.20 | $24.64 | $36.40 | $40.10 | $28.85 | 1,200 | 0.51 | 1.38 |
| Annual | $37,300 | $46,180 | $51,250 | $75,700 | $83,410 | $60,010 | ||||
Top industries employing property appraisers and assessors
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) employ 47.8% of property appraisers and assessors nationally (27,270 jobs) at a median $64,370 a year ($30.95 an hour), followed by Real Estate (24.5%) and Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (5221 and 5223 only) (4.9%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 27,270 | 47.8% | $64,370 | $30.95 |
| Real Estate NAICS 531000 | 13,970 | 24.5% | $62,420 | $30.01 |
| Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (5221 and 5223 only) NAICS 5220A1 | 2,780 | 4.9% | $92,130 | $44.29 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 2,080 | 3.6% | $72,010 | $34.62 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services NAICS 541900 | 1,740 | 3.0% | $72,550 | $34.88 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (57,070). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $61,340 for property appraisers and assessors in May 2021 and $67,960 in May 2025, with employment of 58,340 and 57,070.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $61,340 | $29.49 | 58,340 |
| May 2022 | $61,560 | $29.60 | 59,970 |
| May 2023 | $61,630 | $29.63 | 62,090 |
| May 2024 | $65,420 | $31.45 | 59,070 |
| May 2025 | $67,960 | $32.67 | 57,070 |
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
50 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 | District of Columbia profile | $51.92 | $107,980 | $63,710 | $144,680 | 110 | 0.16 | 0.43 |
| 2 | New Jersey profile | $44.42 | $92,390 | $41,040 | $140,400 | 1,190 | 0.28 | 0.76 |
| 3 | Massachusetts profile | $44.11 | $91,750 | $57,850 | $135,180 | 1,100 | 0.30 | 0.82 |
| 4 | California profile | $42.74 | $88,900 | $56,750 | $141,610 | 6,380 | 0.35 | 0.95 |
| 5 | Connecticut profile | $41.37 | $86,050 | $56,490 | $135,240 | 630 | 0.37 | 1.01 |
| 6 | Washington profile | $40.25 | $83,710 | $53,310 | $121,680 | 1,150 | 0.32 | 0.88 |
| 7 | Minnesota profile | $40.10 | $83,400 | $53,970 | $158,750 | 1,380 | 0.47 | 1.27 |
| 8 | Maine profile | $38.91 | $80,930 | $53,340 | $118,590 | 230 | 0.35 | 0.96 |
| 9 | Alaska profile | $38.62 | $80,330 | $58,300 | $107,570 | 200 | 0.60 | 1.63 |
| 10 | Iowa profile | $38.54 | $80,160 | $45,950 | $129,790 | 630 | 0.40 | 1.10 |
| 11 | Hawaii profile | $38.40 | $79,860 | $50,280 | $103,280 | 130 | 0.21 | 0.57 |
| 12 | New York profile | $37.53 | $78,060 | $52,540 | $133,150 | 2,860 | 0.30 | 0.81 |
| 13 | Maryland profile | $37.31 | $77,610 | $47,280 | $128,990 | 660 | 0.24 | 0.65 |
| 14 | Virginia profile | $36.58 | $76,080 | $47,260 | $109,930 | 1,540 | 0.38 | 1.02 |
| 15 | Rhode Island profile | $36.49 | $75,900 | $40,970 | $108,370 | 280 | 0.55 | 1.51 |
| 16 | Colorado profile | $36.13 | $75,150 | $49,730 | $130,890 | 1,060 | 0.37 | 1.01 |
| 17 | New Hampshire profile | $35.90 | $74,670 | $46,310 | $118,440 | 250 | 0.36 | 0.98 |
| 18 | Wisconsin profile | $33.01 | $68,660 | $47,570 | $116,930 | 820 | 0.28 | 0.76 |
| 19 | North Carolina profile | $32.07 | $66,700 | $46,080 | $118,670 | 2,210 | 0.45 | 1.22 |
| 20 | Texas profile | $31.66 | $65,840 | $47,110 | $108,410 | 5,240 | 0.37 | 1.01 |
| 21 | Florida profile | $31.55 | $65,620 | $37,840 | $108,240 | 2,830 | 0.29 | 0.78 |
| 22 | North Dakota profile | $31.35 | $65,210 | $48,040 | $110,510 | 240 | 0.55 | 1.50 |
| 23 | Nebraska profile | $31.14 | $64,770 | $45,390 | $93,420 | 400 | 0.39 | 1.07 |
| 24 | Michigan profile | $30.90 | $64,270 | $38,920 | $98,150 | 1,960 | 0.45 | 1.21 |
| 25 | Idaho profile | $30.49 | $63,410 | $39,640 | $126,760 | 500 | 0.58 | 1.58 |
| 26 | Ohio profile | $30.49 | $63,410 | $40,740 | $104,160 | 1,220 | 0.22 | 0.60 |
| 27 | South Dakota profile | $30.46 | $63,350 | $46,740 | $79,640 | 510 | 1.11 | 3.03 |
| 28 | Louisiana profile | $30.25 | $62,910 | $45,300 | $105,190 | 600 | 0.31 | 0.85 |
| 29 | Georgia profile | $30.03 | $62,460 | $36,300 | $118,750 | 2,490 | 0.51 | 1.39 |
| 30 | Tennessee profile | $29.98 | $62,350 | $38,710 | $119,430 | 1,060 | 0.33 | 0.88 |
| 31 | Montana profile | $29.93 | $62,250 | $46,700 | $80,180 | 250 | 0.49 | 1.34 |
| 32 | Alabama profile | $29.51 | $61,370 | $22,880 | $102,650 | 600 | 0.28 | 0.77 |
| 33 | Wyoming profile | $29.26 | $60,860 | $39,150 | $83,480 | 260 | 0.94 | 2.57 |
| 34 | Indiana profile | $29.01 | $60,350 | $37,220 | $104,970 | 1,940 | 0.61 | 1.65 |
| 35 | Illinois profile | $28.92 | $60,150 | $36,320 | $119,430 | 1,700 | 0.28 | 0.76 |
| 36 | South Carolina profile | $28.42 | $59,110 | $45,710 | $89,990 | 1,000 | 0.44 | 1.19 |
| 37 | Kentucky profile | $28.29 | $58,850 | $43,240 | $96,600 | 140 | 0.07 | 0.19 |
| 38 | Nevada profile | $27.86 | $57,960 | $48,340 | $97,300 | 600 | 0.39 | 1.06 |
| 39 | Pennsylvania profile | $27.85 | $57,920 | $38,810 | $96,130 | 1,430 | 0.24 | 0.64 |
| 40 | Delaware profile | $27.70 | $57,610 | $46,000 | $157,130 | 130 | 0.26 | 0.71 |
| 41 | Missouri profile | $27.59 | $57,380 | $38,340 | $115,470 | 1,560 | 0.53 | 1.45 |
| 42 | Utah profile | $26.97 | $56,100 | $21,080 | $99,840 | 760 | 0.44 | 1.20 |
| 43 | Mississippi profile | $26.22 | $54,530 | $35,430 | $90,400 | 520 | 0.45 | 1.22 |
| 44 | Oregon profile | $26.18 | $54,460 | $33,650 | $102,960 | 810 | 0.41 | 1.13 |
| 45 | Kansas profile | $24.71 | $51,390 | $21,720 | $98,190 | 780 | 0.54 | 1.48 |
| 46 | Arizona profile | $24.64 | $51,250 | $37,300 | $83,340 | 1,670 | 0.52 | 1.41 |
| 47 | Arkansas profile | $24.44 | $50,840 | $34,750 | $89,400 | 810 | 0.62 | 1.68 |
| 48 | New Mexico profile | $24.30 | $50,550 | $37,180 | $77,720 | 530 | 0.61 | 1.67 |
| 49 | Oklahoma profile | $24.03 | $49,990 | $36,090 | $117,840 | 920 | 0.54 | 1.47 |
| 50 | West Virginia profile | $21.61 | $44,940 | $30,600 | $64,100 | 470 | 0.67 | 1.81 |
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 13-2020 Property Appraisers and Assessors.
- 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.
- 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 13-2022, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 13-2023, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 13-2022.00, 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.