Insurance Underwriters Salary
Insurance Underwriters in Oregon make a median of $79,200 a year, or about $38.08 an hour. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $125K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.44), that's roughly $77,314 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,555/month, about 30.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Oregon. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $79K get you in Oregon?
About insurance underwriters
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What this looks like in Oregon
Insurance underwriters pay in Oregon tracks closely to the national median, $79K locally vs. $81K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,555/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 102.44) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Oregon
Entry-level insurance underwriters (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $125K or more, a $63K spread from bottom to top.
Insurance Underwriters salary by metro in Oregon
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $79K | -0% | 340 |
Compare to other states
Track insurance underwriters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Oregon numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a insurance underwriter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Oregon?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 32.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,555/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 insurance underwriters in Oregon?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new insurance underwriters typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,697/month. At HUD’s $1,555/month FMR, rent would take 42% 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 Oregon?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $79K locally vs. $81K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Oregon compare to the national average for insurance underwriters?
Oregon pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $77K — below the national median.
How much do insurance underwriters make in Oregon?
The median is $79,200 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,620, and experienced insurance underwriters can clear $124,760. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Oregon?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,808/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,555/month, which eats 32.3% 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 insurance underwriters salary go in Oregon?
Oregon has a Regional Price Parity of 102.44 (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 insurance underwriters salary is worth about $77,314 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.