Insurance Underwriters pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,620 a year or less, while the top 10% make $158,860 or more. The middle half of insurance underwriters in San Diego earn between $77,540 and $126,480.
- $66K10th
- $78K25th
- $98KMedian
- $126K75th
- $159K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $102,940 | $8,578 | $49.49 |
| Median | $98,210 | $8,184 | $47.22 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $77,540 | $6,462 | $37.28 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $126,480 | $10,540 | $60.81 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Insurance Underwriters pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Insurance underwriters in San Diego earn about the same as the California average ($102,850) and 10% more than the U.S. average ($93,700). At the median the gap is +21% against the U.S. median of $81,370.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $102,940 | $98,210 | $65,620 | $158,860 | 520 |
| California | $102,850 | $95,320 | $65,070 | $162,640 | 6,580 |
| United States | $93,700 | $81,370 | $55,530 | $145,160 | 105,420 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Insurance Underwriters salary after taxes in San Diego
On the average salary of $102,940, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $75,767 a year, or $6,314 a month and $2,914 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Diego a good place for insurance underwriters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Diego area are 12% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.9), so the average $102,940 buys what about $92,004 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.7 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 9.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Insurance Underwriters salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 5th of 8 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($105,860).
- San Francisco$105,860
- Fresno$104,650
- Los Angeles$104,220
- Sacramento$103,210
- San Diego$102,940
- Oxnard$96,350
- San Jose$94,220
- Riverside$94,060
Highest-paying cities for insurance underwriters
Bridgeport, CT pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($127,970).
- Bridgeport, CT$127,970
- Boston, MA$115,600
- Denver, CO$115,260
- Seattle, WA$114,200
- Manchester, NH$112,530
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Insurance Underwriters salary in San Diego: questions
How much do insurance underwriters make an hour in San Diego?
$49.49 an hour on average, and $47.22 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level insurance underwriters salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,620 a year and the 25th percentile is $77,540, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the insurance underwriters take-home pay in San Diego?
About $75,767 a year ($6,314 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $102,940. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do insurance underwriters earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% more than the U.S. average for this job ($93,700).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 13-2053; area San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.0%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.50, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.50).
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