Insurance Sales Agent
Insurance sales agents contact potential customers and sell one or more types of insurance.
What the job is
- The work
- Insurance sales agents contact potential customers and sell one or more types of insurance.
BLS
Insurance Sales Agents — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Work environment
- Most insurance sales agents work in office settings, although they may spend time traveling to meet with clients.
BLS
Insurance Sales Agents — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Good fit for
- Confident, persistent people who like meeting clients and explaining options, and can handle rejection.
- Career cluster
- Financial Services
Key numbers
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, pay for May 2025 (insurance sales agents).
- Median pay
- $62,280 a year ($29.94 an hour)
BLS
Insurance Sales Agents — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Jobs in 2025
- 572,600
- Typical entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Training after hire
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Job outlook, 2025–35
- Projected growth
- +3%, which BLS calls "as fast as average"
BLS
Insurance Sales Agents — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Jobs added
- +18,800 over 2025–35
- All U.S. jobs
- 3.5% over the same period, for comparison
How to become one
- The usual route
- Although employers typically require that agents have a high school diploma, they may prefer to hire agents who have a bachelor’s degree. Agents must be licensed in the states where they work.
BLS
Insurance Sales Agents — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- In short
- Agents typically need a high school diploma, though some employers prefer a bachelor's degree. Every agent needs a license in each state where they work, with separate licenses for life and health and for property and casualty; selling securities also takes FINRA exams.
- License
- State insurance departments. Insurance Agent license steps
- By state
- Insurance Agent state matrix
- 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
- CaliforniaLicense rules
- 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 YorkLicense rules
- 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
- TexasLicense rules
- 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.
Insurance sales agent: state license, then on-the-job training
See the roadmap
Route 1: Pre-licensing course → state exam → license · Route 2: Adding securities: FINRA exams
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.