Occupation salary profile

Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage

SOC 13-1032 BLS OEWS May 2025

Appraise automobile or other vehicle damage to determine repair costs for insurance claim settlement. Prepare insurance forms to indicate repair cost or cost estimates and recommendations. May seek agreement with automotive repair shop on repair costs.

National median · BLS
$78,240
▲ +2.07% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$78,900
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
11,560
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$58,360
25th$65,050
Median (50th)$78,240
75th$91,880
90th — top pay$101,590

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Monthly—
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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage

BLS projects employment of insurance appraisers, auto damage to decline 8.7% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%. About 700 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
13,500 → 12,400
-1,200 jobs
Projected change
-8.7%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
700
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
2% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Fastest-declining jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a postsecondary certificate (nondegree award) →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Speaking3.8
  • Writing3.8
  • Active Listening3.5
  • Reading Comprehension3.5
  • Critical Thinking3.4
  • Time Management3.3
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.1
  • Service Orientation3.0
  • Social Perceptiveness3.0
  • Active Learning2.9
Top knowledge areas
  • Customer and Personal Service4.2
  • English Language3.8
  • Computers and Electronics3.4
  • Mechanical3.2
  • Administrative3.1
  • Education and Training3.0
  • Law and Government2.8
  • Mathematics2.7
Software and technology used
Microsoft Office softwareDisassembler softwareAdobe AcrobatMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WordA-T Solutions Easy Street DrawApp Software Associations AppTrak.netCost estimating softwareEmail softwareInformation Services Inc. CCC Pathways Appraisal SolutionMeridian Technologies SurePointMitchell International Mitchell WorkCenterNCH Software Express InvoiceSolera Audatex EstimatingSwan River Software Estimiser Pro

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What insurance appraisers, auto damage do

  • Evaluate practicality of repair as opposed to payment of market value of vehicle before accident.
  • Review repair cost estimates with automobile repair shop to secure agreement on cost of repairs.
  • Examine damaged vehicle to determine extent of structural, body, mechanical, electrical, or interior damage.
  • Prepare insurance forms to indicate repair cost estimates and recommendations.
  • Estimate parts and labor to repair damage, using standard automotive labor and parts cost manuals and knowledge of automotive repair.
  • Determine salvage value on total-loss vehicle.
  • Arrange to have damage appraised by another appraiser to resolve disagreement with shop on repair cost.
Also called
AppraiserAutomobile Appraiser (Auto Appraiser)Automobile Damage Appraiser (Auto Damage Appraiser)Material Damage AppraiserDamage AppraiserField AppraiserField InspectorInsurance AppraiserOutside Physical Damage AppraiserPhysical Damage Appraiser
More job titles for this occupation (31)
Appraisal SpecialistAuto Body AppraiserAuto Body Repair EstimatorAuto Collision EstimatorAuto Damage Insurance AppraiserAutomobile Body Estimator (Auto Body Estimator)Automobile Damage Estimator (Auto Damage Estimator)Automobile Damage Field Appraiser (Auto Damage Field Appraiser)Automotive Body Shop Estimator (Auto Body Shop Estimator)Automotive Claims Adjuster (Auto Claims Adjuster)Automotive Estimatics Inspector (Auto Estimatics Inspector)Automotive Estimator (Auto Estimator)Body Shop EstimatorCatastrophe AdjusterClaims AppraiserCollision AppraiserCollision Center EstimatorCollision EstimatorCollision Repair EstimatorCommercial Field InspectorEstimatorField Auto Damage AdjusterField Automobile Adjuster (Field Auto Adjuster)Field Automobile Damage Appraiser (Field Auto Damage Appraiser)Field Property Loss SpecialistMaterial Damage AdjusterProperty Field InspectorReinspectorTotal Loss Claims AdjusterVehicle Condition AssessorVehicle Damage Appraiser

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.