Insurance Underwriters Salary
Insurance Underwriters in South Dakota make a median of $83,130 a year, or about $39.97 an hour. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $153K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $92,480 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,017/month, or 18.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Dakota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $83K get you in South Dakota?
About insurance underwriters
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in South Dakota
Insurance underwriters pay in South Dakota tracks closely to the national median, $83K locally vs. $81K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,017/month, 18.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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, South Dakota
Entry-level insurance underwriters (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $153K or more, a $94K spread from bottom to top.
Insurance Underwriters salary by metro in South Dakota
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | $77K | -7% | 150 |
Compare to other states
Track insurance underwriters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Dakota numbers change.
Related careers in Business & Finance
Frequently asked questions
Can a insurance underwriter afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $83K, rent takes 18.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,017/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for insurance underwriters in South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new insurance underwriters typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,539/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is insurance underwriter a high-paying job in South Dakota?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $83K locally vs. $81K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does South Dakota compare to the national average for insurance underwriters?
South Dakota pays $83K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $92K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do insurance underwriters make in South Dakota?
The median is $83,130 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,980, and experienced insurance underwriters can clear $152,720. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in South Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,572/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 18.3% 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 South Dakota?
South Dakota has a Regional Price Parity of 89.89 (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 $92,480 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.