Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators Salary
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators in Ithaca, NY make a median of $72,030 a year, or about $34.63 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $143K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.32), that's roughly $69,715 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,753/month, about 37.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $72K get you in Ithaca?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Ithaca’s Regional Price Parity (103.32). 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 Ithaca
Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators pay in Ithaca tracks closely to the national median, $72K locally vs. $78K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,753/month, which is 37.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.32) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Ithaca, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $96K | $85K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $79K | $82K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $80K | $80K |
| Syracuse | $82K | $86K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ithaca, NY
Entry-level claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $143K or more, a $111K 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
Track claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a claims adjusters, examiners, and investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ithaca?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 37.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,753/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators in Ithaca?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,934/month. At HUD’s $1,753/month FMR, rent would take 91% 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 Ithaca?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $72K locally vs. $78K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Ithaca compare to the national average for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators?
Ithaca pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.32), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — below the national median.
How much do claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators make in Ithaca, NY?
The median is $72,030 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,240, and experienced claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators can clear $143,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Ithaca?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,642/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,753/month, which eats 37.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators salary go in Ithaca?
Ithaca has a Regional Price Parity of 103.32 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators salary is worth about $69,715 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.