Sell life, property, casualty, health, automotive, or other types of insurance. May refer clients to independent brokers, work as an independent broker, or be employed by an insurance company.
National median · BLS
$62,280
▲ +3.16%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$81,480
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
479,100
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Insurance Sales Agents
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$37,330
25th
$46,870
Median (50th)
$62,280
75th
$96,950
90th — top pay
$138,140
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Insurance Sales Agents
BLS projects employment of insurance sales agents to grow 3.3% from 2025 to 2035, about the same as the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 43,100 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
572,600 → 591,400
+18,800 jobs
Projected change
+3.3%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
43,100
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
11.8% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 4)
Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
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
Insurance Sales Agents 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 Insurance Sales Agents
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 Listening3.9
Speaking3.9
Critical Thinking3.8
Persuasion3.6
Writing3.6
Time Management3.5
Service Orientation3.4
Negotiation3.3
Social Perceptiveness3.1
Top knowledge areas
Customer and Personal Service4.7
Sales and Marketing4.6
English Language4.1
Mathematics3.6
Law and Government3.5
Transportation3.5
Administration and Management3.4
Education and Training3.1
Software and technology used
Microsoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookAdobe After EffectsFacebookMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WordZoomAdvantage Information Systems The Agency AdvantageAgency management softwareAgency MasterAgency Software AgencyProAllied Financial Software Act4AdvisorsAllstar Software Systems KofaxAMS Services AMS 360AMS Services AMS SagittaApple Final Cut 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 sales agents do
Customize insurance programs to suit individual customers, often covering a variety of risks.
Sell various types of insurance policies to businesses and individuals on behalf of insurance companies, including automobile, fire, life, property, medical and dental insurance, or specialized policies, such as marine, farm/crop, and medical malpractice.
Explain features, advantages, and disadvantages of various policies to promote sale of insurance plans.
Perform administrative tasks, such as maintaining records and handling policy renewals.
Seek out new clients and develop clientele by networking to find new customers and generate lists of prospective clients.
Call on policyholders to deliver and explain policy, to analyze insurance program and suggest additions or changes, or to change beneficiaries.
Confer with clients to obtain and provide information when claims are made on a policy.
Interview prospective clients to obtain data about their financial resources and needs, the physical condition of the person or property to be insured, and to discuss any existing coverage.
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 Insurance Sales Agents, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $62,280.
