Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,170 | $18.35 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $58,650 | $28.20 |
| Mean (average) | $62,350 | $29.97 |
| 90th percentile | $90,830 | $43.67 |
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
Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 49 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $61,330 | $45,360 | $87,440 | ||
| Alaska | $75,960 | $46,710 | $100,320 | 100 | 1.02 |
| Arizona | $49,580 | $39,780 | $83,900 | 1,210 | 1.19 |
| Arkansas | $47,510 | $34,060 | $71,470 | 650 | 1.59 |
| California | $67,230 | $51,500 | $115,040 | ||
| Colorado | $77,600 | $50,080 | $106,640 | 1,400 | 1.56 |
| Connecticut | $62,940 | $46,790 | $97,390 | 90 | 0.16 |
| Delaware | $65,270 | $49,060 | $82,090 | 140 | 0.93 |
| Florida | $58,450 | $40,190 | $79,210 | 4,800 | 1.55 |
| Georgia | $48,320 | $24,590 | $84,040 | 660 | 0.43 |
| Hawaii | Data unavailable | 90 | 0.47 | ||
| Idaho | $61,730 | $45,460 | $91,720 | 640 | 2.4 |
| Illinois | $49,990 | $38,150 | $74,640 | 1,290 | 0.68 |
| Indiana | $46,150 | $35,570 | $71,260 | ||
| Iowa | $46,330 | $28,440 | $60,620 | 400 | 0.83 |
| Kansas | $54,640 | $33,790 | $91,270 | 710 | 1.58 |
| Kentucky | $52,860 | $38,180 | $82,300 | 270 | 0.44 |
| Louisiana | $38,470 | $32,990 | $70,940 | 390 | 0.64 |
| Maine | $48,900 | $32,620 | $62,400 | 70 | 0.34 |
| Maryland | $55,460 | $37,730 | $74,380 | 420 | 0.49 |
| Massachusetts | $69,100 | $52,990 | $95,690 | ||
| Michigan | $49,540 | $34,240 | $72,500 | ||
| Minnesota | $58,250 | $49,240 | $77,530 | 560 | 0.61 |
| Mississippi | $47,060 | $33,800 | $58,200 | 150 | 0.42 |
| Missouri | $48,190 | $36,520 | $76,510 | 1,470 | 1.6 |
| Nebraska | $48,880 | $43,910 | $68,460 | 360 | 1.11 |
| Nevada | $71,050 | $47,160 | $94,320 | 620 | 1.28 |
| New Hampshire | $62,090 | $48,580 | $82,390 | ||
| New Jersey | $61,930 | $48,640 | $90,930 | 550 | 0.41 |
| New Mexico | $57,940 | $40,730 | $82,780 | 480 | 1.78 |
| New York | $61,380 | $50,640 | $93,890 | 2,130 | 0.7 |
| North Carolina | $50,500 | $33,280 | $78,210 | 400 | 0.26 |
| North Dakota | $59,980 | $48,760 | $99,820 | 140 | 1.06 |
| Ohio | $56,680 | $40,680 | $78,830 | 1,860 | 1.07 |
| Oklahoma | $50,270 | $35,760 | $94,330 | 1,500 | 2.81 |
| Oregon | $76,930 | $60,940 | $110,660 | 640 | 1.05 |
| Pennsylvania | $52,220 | $33,980 | $95,610 | 2,220 | 1.17 |
| Puerto Rico | $44,570 | $25,890 | $44,570 | ||
| Rhode Island | $63,300 | $48,650 | $84,410 | 120 | 0.77 |
| South Carolina | $46,740 | $36,300 | $77,400 | ||
| South Dakota | $59,300 | $45,760 | $97,610 | 180 | 1.28 |
| Tennessee | $50,240 | $35,880 | $78,300 | 1,160 | 1.14 |
| Texas | $60,120 | $38,320 | $96,480 | 6,770 | 1.54 |
| Utah | $62,210 | $40,830 | $86,430 | 1,160 | 2.15 |
| Virginia | $54,230 | $39,090 | $80,830 | 1,340 | 1.04 |
| Washington | $66,440 | $48,830 | $97,280 | 930 | 0.83 |
| West Virginia | $77,230 | $50,620 | $98,530 | 350 | 1.61 |
| Wisconsin | $48,070 | $39,050 | $72,220 | 700 | 0.76 |
| Wyoming | $48,710 | $36,580 | $77,920 | 200 | 2.32 |
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 title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 5,300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 11.5%.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- 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 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may 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
- Legal Assistant/Paralegal CIP 22.0302
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Prepare and issue title commitments and title insurance policies, based on information compiled from title searches.
- Examine documentation such as mortgages, liens, judgments, easements, plat books, maps, contracts, and agreements to verify factors such as properties' legal descriptions, ownership, or restrictions.
- Examine individual titles to determine if restrictions, such as delinquent taxes, will affect titles and limit property use.
- Prepare reports describing any title encumbrances encountered during searching activities and outlining actions needed to clear titles.
- Prepare lists of all legal instruments applying to a specific piece of land and the buildings on it.
- Copy or summarize recorded documents, such as mortgages, trust deeds, and contracts, that affect property titles.
- Verify accuracy and completeness of land-related documents accepted for registration, preparing rejection notices when documents are not acceptable.
- Read search requests to ascertain types of title evidence required and to obtain descriptions of properties and names of involved parties.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Google Workspace software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Salesforce software (hot technology)
- Contact management software
- Data Trace Title IQ
- File management software
- First American Data Tree Parcel IQ
- GATORS ANYWHERE
- Geographic information system GIS databases
Transferable skills for career changers: Time Management, Complex Problem Solving, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness.
Common job titles: Abstractor, Advisory Title Officer, Commercial Examiner, Commercial Title Examiner, Examiner, Title Abstractor, Title Agent, Title Examiner, Title Officer, Title Searcher.
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 title examiners, abstractors, and searchers make?
The national median annual wage for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers was $58,650 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $38,170 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $90,830. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do title examiners, abstractors, and searchers 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 title examiners, abstractors, and searchers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of title examiners, abstractors, and searchers to change +2.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 5,300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay title examiners, abstractors, and searchers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Colorado ($77,600), West Virginia ($77,230), Oregon ($76,930). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.