Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers Salary
In Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA, title examiners, abstractors, and searchers earn $49,670 at the median, or about $23.88 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.45), which stretches that salary to about $57,455 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,044/month, or 29.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $50K get you in Kingsport-Bristol?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kingsport-Bristol’s Regional Price Parity (86.45). 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 title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
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What this looks like in Kingsport-Bristol
Pay for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers in Kingsport-Bristol runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $59K. Rent runs $1,044/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers in metros near Kingsport-Bristol, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $59K | $61K |
| Knoxville | $49K | $53K |
| Memphis | $50K | $54K |
| Chattanooga | $57K | $62K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
Entry-level title examiners, abstractors, and searchers (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $78K | +32% | 1,400 |
| West Virginia | $77K | +32% | 350 |
| Oregon | $77K | +31% | 640 |
| Alaska | $76K | +30% | 100 |
| Nevada | $71K | +21% | 620 |
| Massachusetts | $69K | +18% | N/A |
| California | $67K | +15% | N/A |
| Washington | $66K | +13% | 930 |
| Delaware | $65K | +11% | 140 |
| Rhode Island | $63K | +8% | 120 |
| Connecticut | $63K | +7% | 90 |
| Utah | $62K | +6% | 1,160 |
| New Hampshire | $62K | +6% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $62K | +6% | 550 |
| Idaho | $62K | +5% | 640 |
| New York | $61K | +5% | 2,130 |
| Alabama | $61K | +5% | N/A |
| Texas | $60K | +3% | 6,770 |
| North Dakota | $60K | +2% | 140 |
| South Dakota | $59K | +1% | 180 |
| Florida | $58K | -0% | 4,800 |
| Minnesota | $58K | -1% | 560 |
| New Mexico | $58K | -1% | 480 |
| Ohio | $57K | -3% | 1,860 |
| Maryland | $55K | -5% | 420 |
| Kansas | $55K | -7% | 710 |
| Virginia | $54K | -8% | 1,340 |
| Kentucky | $53K | -10% | 270 |
| Pennsylvania | $52K | -11% | 2,220 |
| North Carolina | $51K | -14% | 400 |
| Oklahoma | $50K | -14% | 1,500 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -14% | 1,160 |
| Illinois | $50K | -15% | 1,290 |
| Arizona | $50K | -15% | 1,210 |
| Michigan | $50K | -16% | N/A |
| Maine | $49K | -17% | 70 |
| Nebraska | $49K | -17% | 360 |
| Wyoming | $49K | -17% | 200 |
| Georgia | $48K | -18% | 660 |
| Missouri | $48K | -18% | 1,470 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | -18% | 700 |
| Arkansas | $48K | -19% | 650 |
| Mississippi | $47K | -20% | 150 |
| South Carolina | $47K | -20% | N/A |
| Iowa | $46K | -21% | 400 |
| Indiana | $46K | -21% | N/A |
| Louisiana | $38K | -34% | 390 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track title examiners, abstractors, and searchers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kingsport-Bristol numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a title examiners, abstractors, and searcher afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kingsport-Bristol?
Yes — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 29.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,044/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers in Kingsport-Bristol?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new title examiners, abstractors, and searchers typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,184/month. At HUD’s $1,044/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is title examiners, abstractors, and searcher a high-paying job in Kingsport-Bristol?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $50K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kingsport-Bristol compare to the national average for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers?
Kingsport-Bristol pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do title examiners, abstractors, and searchers make in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA?
The median is $49,670 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,400, and experienced title examiners, abstractors, and searchers can clear $79,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Kingsport-Bristol?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,496/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,044/month, which eats 29.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a title examiners, abstractors, and searchers salary go in Kingsport-Bristol?
Kingsport-Bristol has a Regional Price Parity of 86.45 (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 title examiners, abstractors, and searchers salary is worth about $57,455 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do title examiners, abstractors, and searchers 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.