Insurance Underwriters Salary
Insurance Underwriters in Ohio make a median of $79,260 a year, or about $38.11 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $128K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.45), which stretches that salary to about $86,670 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,188/month, or 22.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Ohio. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $79K get you in Ohio?
About insurance underwriters
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What this looks like in Ohio
Insurance underwriters pay in Ohio tracks closely to the national median, $79K locally vs. $81K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,188/month, 22.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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, Ohio
Entry-level insurance underwriters (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $128K or more, a $76K spread from bottom to top.
Insurance Underwriters salary by metro in Ohio
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | $82K | +4% | 1,690 |
| Columbus | $79K | +0% | 1,170 |
| Cleveland | $79K | -1% | 640 |
| Akron | $73K | -8% | 180 |
| Toledo | $60K | -25% | 90 |
Compare to other states
Track insurance underwriters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Ohio numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a insurance underwriter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ohio?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 22.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,188/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for insurance underwriters in Ohio?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new insurance underwriters typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,125/month. At HUD’s $1,188/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 insurance underwriter a high-paying job in Ohio?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $79K locally vs. $81K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Ohio compare to the national average for insurance underwriters?
Ohio pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do insurance underwriters make in Ohio?
The median is $79,260 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,080, and experienced insurance underwriters can clear $128,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Ohio?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,221/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,188/month, which eats 22.8% 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 Ohio?
Ohio has a Regional Price Parity of 91.45 (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 insurance underwriters salary is worth about $86,670 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.