Insurance Underwriters pay range in San Francisco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $77,370 a year or less, while the top 10% make $164,500 or more. The middle half of insurance underwriters in San Francisco earn between $77,370 and $126,110.
- $77K10th
- $77K25th
- $85KMedian
- $126K75th
- $164K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $105,860 | $8,822 | $50.89 |
| Median | $84,520 | $7,043 | $40.63 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $77,370 | $6,448 | $37.20 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $126,110 | $10,509 | $60.63 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Insurance Underwriters pay in San Francisco vs. California and the U.S.
Insurance underwriters in San Francisco earn about the same as the California average ($102,850) and 13% more than the U.S. average ($93,700). At the median the gap is +4% against the U.S. median of $81,370.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $105,860 | $84,520 | $77,370 | $164,500 | 1,350 |
| 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 Francisco
On the average salary of $105,860, a single filer in San Francisco takes home about $77,550 a year, or $6,462 a month and $2,983 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% 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 Francisco a good place for insurance underwriters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Francisco area are 16% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 115.6), so the average $105,860 buys what about $91,564 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in San Francisco ($74,260). A typical home costs $1,149,215, or 10.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Insurance Underwriters salary in other California cities
San Francisco ranks 1st of 8 California metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- 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 Francisco: questions
How much do insurance underwriters make an hour in San Francisco?
$50.89 an hour on average, and $40.63 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level insurance underwriters salary in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $77,370 a year and the 25th percentile is $77,370, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the insurance underwriters take-home pay in San Francisco?
About $77,550 a year ($6,462 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $105,860. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do insurance underwriters earn more in San Francisco than elsewhere?
The average here is 13% 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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (41860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 11.3%.
- 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 0.84, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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