The average salary for a underwriter in California is around $95,320 per year.
Avg Salary
Underwriters earn an average yearly salary of $95,320.
Wages typically start from $65,070 and go up to $162,640.
26% above national average Updated in 2025
Underwriter earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level underwriter earnings begin at:
$78.19 per hour
$162,640 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level underwriter earnings begin at:
$59.94 per hour
$124,660 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level underwriter earnings begin at:
$45.83 per hour
$95,320 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level underwriter earnings begin at:
$37.20 per hour
$77,370 per year
10th percentile
Starting level underwriter earnings begin at:
$31.28 per hour
$65,070 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Underwriter salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $99,400 |
| New York | $97,450 |
| Wisconsin | $97,370 |
| New Jersey | $96,220 |
| Maine | $95,510 |
| California | $95,320 |
| Maryland | $92,120 |
| Illinois | $89,620 |
| Georgia | $85,980 |
| Rhode Island | $84,720 |
| South Dakota | $83,130 |
| Arkansas | $82,130 |
| District of Columbia | $82,070 |
| Virginia | $81,870 |
| Alaska | $81,620 |
| Minnesota | $80,700 |
| Missouri | $80,040 |
| Kentucky | $79,830 |
| South Carolina | $79,570 |
| Ohio | $79,260 |
| Oregon | $79,200 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,950 |
| Texas | $78,890 |
| Tennessee | $78,840 |
| Florida | $78,720 |
| Vermont | $77,990 |
| Arizona | $77,740 |
| Indiana | $77,440 |
| Michigan | $77,380 |
| North Carolina | $77,120 |
| Kansas | $77,070 |
| Louisiana | $76,540 |
| Iowa | $75,160 |
| Nebraska | $75,120 |
| North Dakota | $74,130 |
| Hawaii | $73,260 |
| Utah | $72,730 |
| Oklahoma | $66,770 |
| New Mexico | $64,000 |
| Montana | $63,140 |
| Idaho | $62,530 |
| Wyoming | $62,290 |
| Alabama | $62,220 |
| Mississippi | $59,250 |
| Puerto Rico | $46,710 |
| West Virginia | $38,770 |
| Guam | $30,780 |
| Massachusetts | $106,640 |
| New Hampshire | $103,940 |
| Delaware | $103,670 |
| Nevada | $101,440 |
| Connecticut | $100,690 |
| Colorado | $100,640 |
How do underwriter salaries compare to similar careers?
Underwriters earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than budget analysts but more than fraud analysts.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Budget analyst salary | $100K |
| Stock trader salary | $80K |
| Securities and commodities broker salary | $80K |
| Auditor salary | $97K |
| Accountant salary | $97K |
| Underwriter salary | $95K |
| Risk management specialist salary | $81K |
| Investment banker salary | $81K |
| Financial quantitative analyst salary | $81K |
| Fraud analyst salary | $81K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)