Insurance Underwriters Salary
Insurance Underwriters in Arkansas make a median of $82,130 a year, or about $39.48 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $159K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.64), which stretches that salary to about $93,713 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,021/month, or 19.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arkansas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $82K get you in Arkansas?
About insurance underwriters
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What this looks like in Arkansas
Insurance underwriters pay in Arkansas tracks closely to the national median, $82K locally vs. $81K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,021/month, 19.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arkansas
Entry-level insurance underwriters (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $159K or more, a $117K spread from bottom to top.
Insurance Underwriters salary by metro in Arkansas
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $68K | -18% | 150 |
Compare to other states
Track insurance underwriters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arkansas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a insurance underwriter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arkansas?
Yes — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 19.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,021/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for insurance underwriters in Arkansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new insurance underwriters typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,487/month. At HUD’s $1,021/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is insurance underwriter a high-paying job in Arkansas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $82K locally vs. $81K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Arkansas compare to the national average for insurance underwriters?
Arkansas pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $94K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do insurance underwriters make in Arkansas?
The median is $82,130 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,450, and experienced insurance underwriters can clear $158,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in Arkansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,261/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,021/month, which eats 19.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a insurance underwriters salary go in Arkansas?
Arkansas has a Regional Price Parity of 87.64 (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 insurance underwriters salary is worth about $93,713 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do insurance underwriters 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.