Insurance Underwriters Salary
Insurance Underwriters in Wisconsin make a median of $97,370 a year, or about $46.81 an hour. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $134K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $103,223 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,202/month, or 19.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Wisconsin. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $97K get you in Wisconsin?
About insurance underwriters
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Wisconsin sits well above the national pay line for insurance underwriters, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $81K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,202/month, 19.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Wisconsin offers a genuinely strong financial position for insurance underwriterss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wisconsin
Entry-level insurance underwriters (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $97K. Top earners bring in $134K or more, a $73K spread from bottom to top.
Insurance Underwriters salary by metro in Wisconsin
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $107K | +9% | 950 |
| Appleton | $96K | -2% | 120 |
| Madison | $95K | -2% | 480 |
| Wausau | $71K | -27% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track insurance underwriters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Wisconsin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a insurance underwriter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wisconsin?
Yes — at the median salary of $97K, rent takes 19.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for insurance underwriters in Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new insurance underwriters typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,685/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Wisconsin?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $97K here vs. $81K nationally.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for insurance underwriters?
Wisconsin pays $97K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $103K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do insurance underwriters make in Wisconsin?
The median is $97,370 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,410, and experienced insurance underwriters can clear $134,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $97K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,064/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 19.8% 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $103,223 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.