Insurance Underwriters Salary in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Insurance Underwriters in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA make a median of $81,480 a year, or about $39.17 an hour. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $136K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $77,291 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,922/month — about 37.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $81K get you in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). 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 insurance underwriters
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Entry-level insurance underwriters (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $136K or more, a $75K spread from bottom to top.
Insurance Underwriters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont | $107K | +34% | 240 |
| District of Columbia | $101K | +26% | 100 |
| Massachusetts | $100K | +25% | 3,440 |
| Maine | $97K | +21% | 610 |
| New Hampshire | $96K | +20% | 320 |
| Connecticut | $95K | +20% | 2,670 |
| Washington | $95K | +19% | 2,000 |
| New Jersey | $94K | +17% | 3,170 |
| Maryland | $89K | +11% | 1,100 |
| Nevada | $87K | +9% | 520 |
| California | $87K | +9% | 7,300 |
| Illinois | $85K | +6% | 8,480 |
| New York | $84K | +5% | 7,530 |
| South Dakota | $83K | +4% | 240 |
| Kansas | $82K | +3% | 1,290 |
| Kentucky | $82K | +2% | 500 |
| South Carolina | $81K | +2% | 890 |
| Rhode Island | $81K | +1% | 310 |
| Florida | $80K | +0% | 7,430 |
| Ohio | $80K | -0% | 5,630 |
| Oregon | $79K | -1% | 630 |
| Idaho | $79K | -1% | 280 |
| Tennessee | $79K | -1% | 1,100 |
| Minnesota | $79K | -1% | 2,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $78K | -2% | 5,910 |
| Missouri | $78K | -2% | 1,910 |
| Georgia | $78K | -2% | 6,310 |
| Wisconsin | $78K | -2% | 3,440 |
| Iowa | $78K | -3% | 1,730 |
| Virginia | $77K | -3% | 2,910 |
| Michigan | $77K | -4% | 2,550 |
| Hawaii | $77K | -4% | 190 |
| Texas | $77K | -4% | 8,150 |
| Nebraska | $75K | -6% | 1,280 |
| Arizona | $74K | -8% | 3,300 |
| North Carolina | $72K | -10% | 3,230 |
| Indiana | $71K | -11% | 1,620 |
| Oklahoma | $68K | -15% | 960 |
| North Dakota | $68K | -15% | 200 |
| Delaware | $67K | -16% | N/A |
| Alabama | $64K | -20% | 1,050 |
| Arkansas | $64K | -20% | 300 |
| Louisiana | $63K | -21% | 1,140 |
| Utah | $63K | -21% | 460 |
| New Mexico | $62K | -22% | 130 |
| Alaska | $61K | -24% | 130 |
| Montana | $60K | -24% | 170 |
| Mississippi | $59K | -26% | 400 |
| West Virginia | $57K | -29% | 180 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track insurance underwriters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do insurance underwriters make in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
The median is $81,480 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,310, and experienced insurance underwriters can clear $135,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,925/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,922/month, which eats 39% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (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 $77,291 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.