Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators Salary
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators in Altoona, PA make a median of $78,850 a year, or about $37.91 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $106K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.51), which stretches that salary to about $88,091 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,138/month, or 21.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $79K get you in Altoona?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Altoona’s Regional Price Parity (89.51). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
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What this looks like in Altoona
Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators pay in Altoona tracks closely to the national median, $79K locally vs. $78K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,138/month, 22.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.51 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators in metros near Altoona, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $82K | $80K |
| Pittsburgh | $76K | $81K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $76K | $77K |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $77K | $82K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Altoona, PA
Entry-level claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $106K or more, a $56K spread from bottom to top.
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $101K | +30% | 360 |
| New Jersey | $96K | +23% | 9,650 |
| Maryland | $96K | +23% | N/A |
| California | $92K | +18% | 24,290 |
| Connecticut | $88K | +13% | 3,190 |
| Alaska | $88K | +12% | 220 |
| New York | $87K | +12% | 17,330 |
| Rhode Island | $87K | +11% | 1,150 |
| Vermont | $84K | +8% | 280 |
| New Hampshire | $84K | +8% | 880 |
| Massachusetts | $84K | +7% | 5,070 |
| Oregon | $82K | +5% | 2,950 |
| Washington | $81K | +3% | 6,180 |
| Alabama | $80K | +2% | 4,040 |
| Hawaii | $79K | +1% | 900 |
| South Dakota | $79K | +1% | 1,030 |
| Michigan | $79K | +1% | 6,640 |
| Texas | $79K | +1% | 29,220 |
| Maine | $79K | +1% | 1,650 |
| Minnesota | $78K | +0% | 5,530 |
| Wisconsin | $78K | +0% | 8,760 |
| Tennessee | $78K | +0% | 6,390 |
| Colorado | $78K | -0% | 5,680 |
| Idaho | $77K | -1% | 1,320 |
| Kansas | $77K | -1% | 4,570 |
| Pennsylvania | $77K | -1% | 13,270 |
| Mississippi | $77K | -1% | N/A |
| Illinois | $77K | -1% | 14,210 |
| Florida | $77K | -1% | 28,100 |
| Wyoming | $76K | -2% | 180 |
| Missouri | $76K | -3% | 6,200 |
| Nebraska | $76K | -3% | 3,160 |
| South Carolina | $75K | -3% | 4,130 |
| North Carolina | $75K | -3% | 9,880 |
| Virginia | $74K | -5% | 7,860 |
| Arkansas | $74K | -5% | 2,660 |
| Kentucky | $74K | -5% | 3,670 |
| Indiana | $74K | -6% | 4,340 |
| Georgia | $73K | -6% | N/A |
| Iowa | $73K | -7% | 3,930 |
| Delaware | $72K | -7% | N/A |
| Oklahoma | $71K | -9% | 4,140 |
| Utah | $69K | -12% | 2,440 |
| Ohio | $68K | -13% | 13,650 |
| New Mexico | $68K | -13% | 1,280 |
| West Virginia | $67K | -14% | 1,340 |
| North Dakota | $65K | -16% | 750 |
| Louisiana | $65K | -16% | 3,340 |
| Arizona | $65K | -17% | 13,830 |
| Montana | $64K | -18% | 1,230 |
| Nevada | $63K | -20% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
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Frequently asked questions
Can a claims adjusters, examiners, and investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Altoona?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 22.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,138/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators in Altoona?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,996/month. At HUD’s $1,138/month FMR, rent would take 38% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is claims adjusters, examiners, and investigator a high-paying job in Altoona?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $79K locally vs. $78K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Altoona compare to the national average for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators?
Altoona pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $88K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators make in Altoona, PA?
The median is $78,850 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,940, and experienced claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators can clear $106,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Altoona?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,120/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,138/month, which eats 22.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators salary go in Altoona?
Altoona has a Regional Price Parity of 89.51 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators salary is worth about $88,091 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.