Search real estate records, examine titles, or summarize pertinent legal or insurance documents or details for a variety of purposes. May compile lists of mortgages, contracts, and other instruments pertaining to titles by searching public and private records for law firms, real estate agencies, or title insurance companies. Excludes “Loan Officers” (13-2072).
National median · BLS
$58,650
▲ +6.68%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$62,350
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
48,580
Jobs (BLS)
Highest-paying state (cost-adjusted)Loading…
Most jobsLoading…
Highest-paying metro (cost-adjusted)Loading…
Check your salary
Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$38,170
25th
$47,420
Median (50th)
$58,650
75th
$74,810
90th — top pay
$90,830
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
Type in either box; the other updates instantly.
⇄
Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers
BLS projects employment of title examiners, abstractors, and searchers to grow 2.1% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 5,300 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
59,800 → 61,100
+1,300 jobs
Projected change
+2.1%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
5,300
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
11.5% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers salaries by state
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers
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
Reading Comprehension4.0
Active Listening3.8
Critical Thinking3.6
Speaking3.6
Time Management3.4
Writing3.3
Complex Problem Solving3.1
Coordination3.0
Judgment and Decision Making3.0
Monitoring3.0
Top knowledge areas
Customer and Personal Service3.8
Administrative3.8
English Language3.8
Computers and Electronics3.3
Administration and Management3.1
Production and Processing3.1
Law and Government2.8
Mathematics2.8
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookAdobe AcrobatGoogle Workspace softwareMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WordSalesforce softwareContact management softwareData Trace Title IQFile management softwareFirst American Data Tree Parcel IQGATORS ANYWHEREGeographic information system GIS databasesLandtitle USAMicrosoft Internet Explorer
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 title examiners, abstractors, and searchers do
Prepare and issue title commitments and title insurance policies, based on information compiled from title searches.
Examine documentation such as mortgages, liens, judgments, easements, plat books, maps, contracts, and agreements to verify factors such as properties' legal descriptions, ownership, or restrictions.
Examine individual titles to determine if restrictions, such as delinquent taxes, will affect titles and limit property use.
Prepare reports describing any title encumbrances encountered during searching activities and outlining actions needed to clear titles.
Prepare lists of all legal instruments applying to a specific piece of land and the buildings on it.
Copy or summarize recorded documents, such as mortgages, trust deeds, and contracts, that affect property titles.
Verify accuracy and completeness of land-related documents accepted for registration, preparing rejection notices when documents are not acceptable.
Read search requests to ascertain types of title evidence required and to obtain descriptions of properties and names of involved parties.
Also called
Title AbstractorTitle ExaminerTitle OfficerTitle SearcherAbstractorAdvisory Title OfficerCommercial ExaminerCommercial Title ExaminerExaminerTitle Agent
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.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $58,650.
