Claims Adjuster
Claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners, and investigators evaluate insurance claims.
What the job is
- The work
- Claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners, and investigators evaluate insurance claims.
BLS
Claims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners, and Investigators — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Work environment
- Most claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners, and investigators work full time. They often work outside the office, inspecting properties on which insurance claims have been made, such as damaged automobiles and buildings.
BLS
Claims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners, and Investigators — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Good fit for
- Patient, careful people who can investigate, negotiate and judge evidence, often outside the office.
- Career cluster
- Financial Services
Key numbers
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, pay for May 2025 (claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners, and investigators).
- Median pay
- $78,020 a year ($37.51 an hour)
BLS
Claims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners, and Investigators — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Jobs in 2025
- 389,700
- Typical entry
- See How to Become One
- Training after hire
- See How to Become One
Job outlook, 2025–35
- Projected growth
- −6%, which BLS calls "decline"
BLS
Claims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners, and Investigators — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Jobs added
- −21,800 over 2025–35
- All U.S. jobs
- 3.5% over the same period, for comparison
How to become one
- The usual route
- A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for a person to work as an entry-level claims adjuster, examiner, or investigator, although some positions need a bachelor’s degree or insurance-related work experience. Auto damage appraisers typically have either a postsecondary nondegree award or work experience in identifying and estimating the cost of automotive repair.
BLS
Claims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners, and Investigators — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- In short
- Entry-level adjusters, examiners and investigators typically need a high school diploma, though some positions need a bachelor's degree or insurance experience. Licensing varies by state: some require prelicensing education, an exam or both.
- License
- Varies by state. Licensing requirements vary by state: some states have few requirements, others require prelicensing education, an exam or both, and some require continuing education to renew. Public adjusters may need to meet separate or additional requirements.
- By state
- State rules on the roadmap
- Paying for it
- File the FAFSA (opens by October 1) for grants, work-study and federal loans; a Pell Grant pays up to $7,395 a year (2026–27). Average public four-year tuition and fees: $11,950 in-state vs $31,880 out-of-state (2025–26). Residency rules and regional discounts · Save with 2+2 transfer
- Your state
-
StateChoose a state
- AlabamaState guide
- AlaskaState guide
- ArizonaState guide
- ArkansasState guide
- CaliforniaState guide
- ColoradoState guide
- ConnecticutState guide
- DelawareState guide
- District of ColumbiaState guide
- FloridaState guide
- GeorgiaState guide
- HawaiiState guide
- IdahoState guide
- IllinoisState guide
- IndianaState guide
- IowaState guide
- KansasState guide
- KentuckyState guide
- LouisianaState guide
- MaineState guide
- MarylandState guide
- MassachusettsState guide
- MichiganState guide
- MinnesotaState guide
- MississippiState guide
- MissouriState guide
- MontanaState guide
- NebraskaState guide
- NevadaState guide
- New HampshireState guide
- New JerseyState guide
- New MexicoState guide
- New YorkState guide
- North CarolinaState guide
- North DakotaState guide
- OhioState guide
- OklahomaState guide
- OregonState guide
- PennsylvaniaState guide
- Rhode IslandState guide
- South CarolinaState guide
- South DakotaState guide
- TennesseeState guide
- TexasState guide
- UtahState guide
- VermontState guide
- VirginiaState guide
- WashingtonState guide
- West VirginiaState guide
- WisconsinState guide
- WyomingState guide
Step-by-step roadmap
The routes step by step, the exam gates and the state license step are on one page.
Claims adjuster, examiner or investigator: diploma, supervised small claims, a state license in many states
See the roadmap
Route 1: Diploma → small claims under supervision → larger claims · Route 2: Autobody program or repair-shop work → auto damage appraiser · Route 3: Example: Texas all-lines adjuster license
More careers in Financial Services
Open the cluster hubEvery career page in this cluster, with entry, license, pay and outlook side by side.
Every number links to the BLS page it came from, checked 20 Oct 2026. Education Margdarshan does not recommend paid courses.