Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators Salary
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA make a median of $68,250 a year, or about $32.81 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.45), which stretches that salary to about $78,947 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,044/month, or 22% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $68K get you in Kingsport-Bristol?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kingsport-Bristol’s Regional Price Parity (86.45). 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 Kingsport-Bristol
Pay for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators in Kingsport-Bristol runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $78K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,044/month, 22.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Kingsport-Bristol can be a reasonable trade-off for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigatorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators in metros near Kingsport-Bristol, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $78K | $81K |
| Chattanooga | $62K | $67K |
| Memphis | $79K | $86K |
| Knoxville | $81K | $87K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
Entry-level claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $68K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $52K 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 (all 50 states + DC)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a claims adjusters, examiners, and investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kingsport-Bristol?
Yes — at the median salary of $68K, rent takes 22.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,044/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators in Kingsport-Bristol?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,653/month. At HUD’s $1,044/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Kingsport-Bristol?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $68K here vs. $78K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kingsport-Bristol compare to the national average for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators?
Kingsport-Bristol pays $68K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $79K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators make in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA?
The median is $68,250 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,210, and experienced claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators can clear $96,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $68K enough to live in Kingsport-Bristol?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,700/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,044/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 Kingsport-Bristol?
Kingsport-Bristol has a Regional Price Parity of 86.45 (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 $78,947 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.