Insurance sales agents salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,330 | $17.95 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $62,280 | $29.94 |
| Mean (average) | $81,480 | $39.18 |
| 90th percentile | $138,140 | $66.41 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Insurance sales agents pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $65,510 | $36,540 | $184,800 | 7,430 | 1.14 |
| Alaska | $50,500 | $38,080 | $88,190 | 540 | 0.54 |
| Arizona | $61,560 | $40,300 | $104,290 | 11,870 | 1.19 |
| Arkansas | $56,720 | $34,300 | $122,530 | 4,580 | 1.14 |
| California | $76,120 | $38,560 | $165,430 | 41,160 | 0.73 |
| Colorado | $68,730 | $42,450 | $158,690 | 9,530 | 1.08 |
| Connecticut | $74,840 | $42,670 | $161,690 | 5,230 | 1 |
| Delaware | $46,710 | $35,950 | $100,050 | 1,220 | 0.81 |
| District of Columbia | $84,530 | $48,570 | $222,460 | ||
| Florida | $59,790 | $37,180 | $124,830 | 47,560 | 1.55 |
| Georgia | $61,850 | $36,340 | $161,690 | 18,030 | 1.2 |
| Guam | $37,010 | $23,100 | $56,380 | 70 | 0.34 |
| Hawaii | $64,170 | $38,750 | $107,990 | 1,070 | 0.56 |
| Idaho | $58,510 | $37,400 | $112,600 | 3,200 | 1.21 |
| Illinois | $64,280 | $37,020 | $160,130 | 16,360 | 0.87 |
| Indiana | $61,360 | $37,890 | $128,380 | 10,440 | 1.06 |
| Iowa | $60,140 | $37,590 | $126,840 | 6,840 | 1.42 |
| Kansas | $60,370 | $38,020 | $153,520 | 6,360 | 1.44 |
| Kentucky | $60,880 | $32,160 | $144,780 | 6,210 | 1.01 |
| Louisiana | $55,440 | $35,140 | $103,560 | 7,100 | 1.19 |
| Maine | $62,920 | $47,370 | $106,990 | 2,240 | 1.14 |
| Maryland | $58,300 | $39,050 | $133,160 | 5,700 | 0.67 |
| Massachusetts | $79,300 | $57,620 | $163,380 | 9,940 | 0.89 |
| Michigan | $61,900 | $38,350 | $131,180 | 12,160 | 0.9 |
| Minnesota | $78,640 | $49,350 | $161,030 | 10,010 | 1.1 |
| Mississippi | $47,930 | $31,910 | $104,480 | 3,210 | 0.9 |
| Missouri | $58,990 | $31,200 | $127,150 | 10,030 | 1.11 |
| Montana | $62,040 | $42,260 | $120,430 | 2,090 | 1.32 |
| Nebraska | $61,590 | $37,500 | $125,930 | 6,160 | 1.95 |
| Nevada | $49,100 | $37,970 | $87,690 | 4,200 | 0.88 |
| New Hampshire | $74,370 | $46,580 | $144,310 | 2,320 | 1.1 |
| New Jersey | $81,640 | $49,330 | $169,770 | 11,370 | 0.86 |
| New Mexico | $45,180 | $29,290 | $99,340 | 2,200 | 0.82 |
| New York | $78,110 | $37,790 | $173,750 | 22,420 | 0.75 |
| North Carolina | $58,710 | $36,000 | $124,900 | 20,540 | 1.35 |
| North Dakota | $71,220 | $46,770 | $161,130 | 1,460 | 1.1 |
| Ohio | $61,260 | $37,720 | $123,370 | 16,250 | 0.95 |
| Oklahoma | $47,920 | $35,630 | $102,130 | 5,310 | 1.01 |
| Oregon | $61,680 | $44,660 | $123,800 | 5,370 | 0.89 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,370 | $39,770 | $163,970 | 19,390 | 1.04 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,250 | $23,740 | $74,990 | 2,650 | 0.91 |
| Rhode Island | $79,930 | $48,100 | $169,090 | 1,700 | 1.1 |
| South Carolina | $61,350 | $35,140 | $154,650 | 8,220 | 1.16 |
| South Dakota | $71,990 | $49,090 | $131,540 | 1,870 | 1.33 |
| Tennessee | $57,120 | $37,130 | $122,040 | 7,610 | 0.75 |
| Texas | $51,180 | $30,140 | $128,590 | 47,060 | 1.09 |
| Utah | $61,230 | $35,270 | $132,090 | 4,620 | 0.86 |
| Vermont | $70,720 | $51,070 | $118,890 | 730 | 0.78 |
| Virgin Islands | $62,550 | $49,660 | $154,600 | 60 | 0.63 |
| Virginia | $60,520 | $36,310 | $133,100 | 9,480 | 0.75 |
| Washington | $61,040 | $44,140 | $128,680 | 10,500 | 0.96 |
| West Virginia | $45,480 | $29,420 | $106,490 | 1,430 | 0.66 |
| Wisconsin | $79,450 | $47,430 | $163,380 | 7,860 | 0.87 |
| Wyoming | $71,830 | $43,310 | $136,380 | 850 | 0.98 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for insurance sales agents
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 43,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 11.8%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for insurance sales agents
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Insurance CIP 52.1701
Licenses and certifications
Requirements for regulated professions are set by each state. Always confirm with the state regulator.
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Customize insurance programs to suit individual customers, often covering a variety of risks.
- Sell various types of insurance policies to businesses and individuals on behalf of insurance companies, including automobile, fire, life, property, medical and dental insurance, or specialized policies, such as marine, farm/crop, and medical malpractice.
- Explain features, advantages, and disadvantages of various policies to promote sale of insurance plans.
- Perform administrative tasks, such as maintaining records and handling policy renewals.
- Seek out new clients and develop clientele by networking to find new customers and generate lists of prospective clients.
- Call on policyholders to deliver and explain policy, to analyze insurance program and suggest additions or changes, or to change beneficiaries.
- Confer with clients to obtain and provide information when claims are made on a policy.
- Interview prospective clients to obtain data about their financial resources and needs, the physical condition of the person or property to be insured, and to discuss any existing coverage.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Facebook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Zoom (hot technology)
- AMS Services AMS 360
- AMS Services AMS Sagitta
- Advantage Information Systems The Agency Advantage
- Agency Master
- Agency Software AgencyPro
- Agency management software
- Allied Financial Software Act4Advisors
Transferable skills for career changers: Persuasion, Time Management, Service Orientation, Negotiation, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination.
Common job titles: Insurance Agent, Insurance Broker, Insurance Sales Agent, Sales Agent, Sales Associate, Sales Representative, Underwriting Sales Representative.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do insurance sales agents make?
The national median annual wage for insurance sales agents was $62,280 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $37,330 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $138,140. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do insurance sales agents need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is insurance sales agents a growing career?
BLS projects employment of insurance sales agents to change +3.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 43,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay insurance sales agents the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($84,530), New Jersey ($81,640), Rhode Island ($79,930). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.