State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Insurance Sales Agent Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Insurance Sales Agents is $62,280 a year ($29.94/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 3.7% through 2034, with about 47,000 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
SOC 41-3021Sales and RelatedLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $62,280
- Projected growth
- +3.7%
- Openings a year
- 47,000
- Typical education
- High school
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Insurance Agent, Insurance Broker, Insurance Sales Agent, Sales Agent, Sales Associate, Sales Representative.
How much do Insurance Sales Agents make?
10th percentile$37,330
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$46,870
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$62,280
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$96,950
Upper quartile
90th percentile$138,140
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $62,280 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $29.94/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $81,480 |
| People employed | 479,100 |
Versus all US occupations
At $62,280, Insurance Sales Agents earn 22% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $11,300 a year.
Versus sales and related occupations
Inside the Sales and Related group, where the middle occupation pays $51,495, this is 21% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $138,140 or more while the bottom 10% earn $37,330, a gap of 3.7×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 45% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
District of Columbia posts the highest raw median ($84,530), but once local prices are taken into account Wisconsin leads at $84,436 in national-average dollars.
Which states pay Insurance Sales Agents the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $84,530 | $76,915 | N/A |
| New Jersey | $81,640 | $75,033 | 11,370 |
| Rhode Island | $79,930 | $78,148 | 1,700 |
| Wisconsin | $79,450 | $84,436 | 7,860 |
| Massachusetts | $79,300 | $74,983 | 9,940 |
| Minnesota | $78,640 | $79,740 | 10,010 |
| New York | $78,110 | $72,377 | 22,420 |
| California | $76,120 | $68,750 | 41,160 |
| Connecticut | $74,840 | $72,232 | 5,230 |
| New Hampshire | $74,370 | $71,396 | 2,320 |
Is Insurance Sales Agent a growing career?
Insurance Sales Agents3.7%
All US occupations3.1%
+3.7% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Insurance Sales Agents to change 3.7% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 21,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 47,000 openings are projected each year, 8.3% of the 568,800 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Because the profitability of insurance companies depends on a steady stream of new customers, the demand for insurance sales agents is expected to continue. Employment growth will likely be strongest for independent sales agents as insurance companies rely more on brokerages and less on captive agents in an effort to control costs.
Many clients do their own research and purchase insurance online, which reduces demand for an insurance sales agent’s services. However, agents will still be needed to help clients understand their options and choose a policy that is right for them. Many customers lack the time or expertise to study the different types of insurance to decide what they need and so they will continue to rely on advice from insurance sales agents.
How to become an Insurance Sales Agent
Insurance sales is licensed state by state, by line of authority, through each state's insurance department. BLS is direct about it: agents must hold a license in every state where they work, separate licenses are needed for life and health versus property and casualty, and in most states the license is issued only to applicants who complete specified courses and pass a state exam covering insurance fundamentals and that state's insurance laws. Agents who write business across state lines add non-resident licenses in each additional state.
The credential path, step by step
- Choose the lines of authority you will sell
Life and health is licensed separately from property and casualty. The NAIC's Uniform Licensing Standards recognize six major lines: Life; Accident and Health; Property; Casualty; Personal Lines; and Variable Life or Annuity Products. This choice decides which course and which exam you take.
- Complete your state's approved pre-licensing course for those lines
Required in most states, though the number of hours varies by state and by line and some states waive it for applicants with qualifying experience or certain professional designations. The course must come from a provider approved by your state's insurance department.
- Pass the state licensing exam for each line
Booked through the state's testing vendor. The exam covers insurance fundamentals plus the specific insurance law of the state you are licensing in, which is why passing in one state does not carry across to another.
- Apply to your resident state's insurance department
Applications are generally filed electronically through NIPR or the state's own system, with a fee and, in many states, fingerprints and a background check. Licensing produces a National Producer Number that identifies you in the Producer Database.
- Add non-resident licenses for every other state you write business in
BLS is explicit that agents must be licensed in the states where they work, so agents with clients across state lines commonly carry several licenses. NIPR exists to make these non-resident applications and renewals a single electronic process.
- Add FINRA registration if you will also sell securities or variable products
The Series 6 covers mutual funds, municipal fund securities and variable annuities; the Series 7 qualifies you as a general securities sales representative. Both require sponsorship by a FINRA member firm and the SIE as a corequisite.
Exams you have to pass
State insurance producer licensing examination
Taken separately for each line of authority you want to sell. BLS describes the content as insurance fundamentals plus the state's insurance laws. Because both the exam and any pre-licensing course are set at state level, the length, format and fee differ by state and by line.
Administered by Each state's insurance department, generally through a testing vendor such as Pearson VUE or PSI.
Series 6 – Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Representative Exam (Series 6)
Taken only by agents who also sell financial products such as mutual funds, municipal fund securities and variable annuities, per BLS. 50 questions, 1 hour 30 minutes, $100. It qualifies the holder to sell mutual funds, variable annuities, variable life insurance, unit investment trusts and municipal fund securities such as 529 plans. Sponsorship by a FINRA member firm is required and the SIE is a corequisite.
Administered by FINRA.
Series 7 – General Securities Representative Exam (Series 7)
The broader FINRA representative exam, qualifying an agent as a general securities sales representative. 125 items, 3 hours 45 minutes, passing score 72. Requires sponsorship by a FINRA member firm and has the SIE as a corequisite.
Administered by FINRA.
- Continuing education
Required to stay credentialed
BLS states that most state licensing authorities require agents to take continuing education courses covering insurance laws, consumer protection, ethics and the technical details of policies. Hours and renewal cycles are set by each state rather than nationally; NIPR publishes the state-by-state requirements.
Licensing and state variation
Licensed state by state
This is the field's defining feature. The NAIC's Uniform Licensing Standards define six major lines of authority — Life; Accident and Health; Property; Casualty; Personal Lines; and Variable Life or Annuity Products — and you are licensed separately for each, but adoption of those standards and the requirements attached to them are set by each state. Pre-licensing education hours differ sharply by state and by line: New York, for example, requires 20 hours for a Life agent, 40 hours for a Personal Lines agent and 90 hours for a Property/Casualty agent, while Georgia requires an 8-hour Personal Lines course and grants waivers of both the course and the examination to holders of designations such as CPCU, CLU or FLMI. Some states waive pre-licensing entirely for applicants with qualifying work experience. Because of this, agents who sell across state lines hold multiple licenses and generally apply for the additional non-resident licenses through NIPR.
Who governs the credential
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) — The standard-setting body for the state insurance commissioners. It does not issue licenses; it maintains the Producer Licensing Model Act (#218) and the Uniform Licensing Standards that states adopt, including the definitions of the major lines of authority.
- National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) — An NAIC affiliate that runs the electronic licensing infrastructure: online resident and non-resident license applications and renewals, the Producer Database, and the National Producer Number assigned during the licensing application process. It also publishes each state's continuing education requirements.
- State departments of insurance — The actual licensing authority. Each state's insurance department sets its own pre-licensing education, examination, background check and continuing education rules and issues the producer license.
- Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) — Relevant only to agents who also sell securities. BLS notes that agents selling securities and other financial products must be licensed by FINRA, with the Series 6 covering municipal fund securities, mutual funds and variable annuities, and the Series 7 qualifying agents as general securities sales representatives.
Credential detail for insurance sales agents is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Insurance Sales Agents, How to Become One · checked August 23, 2026
- NAIC — State Licensing Handbook (Producer Licensing Model Act #218 and Uniform Licensing Standards, including the six major lines of authority) · checked August 23, 2026
- NAIC — Insurance Topics: Producer Licensing · checked August 23, 2026
- National Insurance Producer Registry — Licensing Center (non-resident licensing, National Producer Number, state CE requirements) · checked August 23, 2026
- New York State Department of Financial Services — Agent and Broker Prelicensing Education · checked August 23, 2026
- Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire — Get a Resident Insurance Agent License · checked August 23, 2026
- FINRA — Series 7 General Securities Representative Exam · checked August 23, 2026
- FINRA — Series 6 Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Representative Exam · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
Insurance sales agents typically need a high school diploma to enter the occupation. However, employers may prefer to hire candidates who have a bachelor’s degree. Agents must be licensed in the states where they work.
| Typical entry-level education | High school diploma or equivalent |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Medium preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as insurance sales agents.
- Bachelor's Degree39.5%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)15.8%
- High School Diploma14.8%
- Post-Secondary Certificate14.5%
- Some College Courses8.1%
What does an Insurance Sales Agent do?
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.
Insurance sales agents contact potential customers and sell one or more types of insurance. These agents explain various insurance policies and help clients choose the plans that suit them.
Day-to-day tasks
- Explain features, advantages, and disadvantages of various policies to promote sale of insurance plans.
- Attend meetings, seminars, and programs to learn about new products and services, learn new skills, and receive technical assistance in developing new accounts.
- 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.
- 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.
- Perform administrative tasks, such as maintaining records and handling policy renewals.
- 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.
- Calculate premiums and establish payment method.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most insurance sales agents work full time.
Physical demands
- Seated for more than half the working day
Working with people
- Constant contact with other people
- Face-to-face discussions every day
- Dealing with customers or the public is very important
Pressure and stakes
- Meeting strict deadlines at least weekly
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey, showing only the signals people in the job report decisively one way or the other.
Where insurance sales agents work
| Insurance agencies and brokerages | 62% |
|---|---|
| Self-employed workers | 13% |
| Direct insurance (except life, health, and medical) carriers | 8% |
| Direct health and medical insurance carriers | 5% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Active Listening3.9/5
- Speaking3.9/5
- Critical Thinking3.8/5
- Writing3.6/5
- Mathematics3.0/5
- Active Learning3.0/5
- Monitoring2.9/5
Transferable skills
- Persuasion3.6/5
- Time Management3.5/5
- Service Orientation3.4/5
- Negotiation3.3/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.1/5
- Coordination3.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0/5
- Complex Problem Solving2.9/5
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Video conferencing software · in demand
- Video creation and editing software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Customer relationship management CRM software
- Data base user interface and query software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits an Insurance Sales Agent?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realistic1.0
Investigative2.3
Artistic1.1
Socialprimary3.7
Enterprisingprimary6.0
Conventionalprimary5.5
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Insurance Sales Agent: frequently asked questions
How much do Insurance Sales Agents make?
Insurance Sales Agents earn a median of $62,280 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 22% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $29.94/hr. The middle half earn between $46,870 and $96,950. The top 10% earn $138,140 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Insurance Sales Agent?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Insurance Sales Agents. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 39.5% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Insurance Sales Agent a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.7% over 2024–2034, about the same as the 3.1% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 47,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Insurance Sales Agent do?
Insurance sales agents contact potential customers and sell one or more types of insurance. A core O*NET task: explain features, advantages, and disadvantages of various policies to promote sale of insurance plans. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Operating system software.
Which states pay Insurance Sales Agents the most?
The highest state medians for Insurance Sales Agents are District of Columbia ($84,530), New Jersey ($81,640), Rhode Island ($79,930) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Wisconsin moves to the top at $84,436.
What personality type suits an Insurance Sales Agent?
O*NET scores Insurance Sales Agents highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Social interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESFJ, ESTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.
Do you need a license to work as an Insurance Sales Agent?
Yes, and it is issued by the state you work in, not nationally. This is the field's defining feature. The NAIC's Uniform Licensing Standards define six major lines of authority — Life; Accident and Health; Property; Casualty; Personal Lines; and Variable Life or Annuity Products — and you are licensed separately for each, but adoption of those standards and the requirements attached to them are set by each state. Pre-licensing education hours differ sharply by state and by line: New York, for example, requires 20 hours for a Life agent, 40 hours for a Personal Lines agent and 90 hours for a Property/Casualty agent, while Georgia requires an 8-hour Personal Lines course and grants waivers of both the course and the examination to holders of designations such as CPCU, CLU or FLMI. Some states waive pre-licensing entirely for applicants with qualifying work experience. Because of this, agents who sell across state lines hold multiple licenses and generally apply for the additional non-resident licenses through NIPR.
What exams do you have to pass to become an Insurance Sales Agent?
The State insurance producer licensing examination, the Series 6 (Series 6 – Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Representative Exam), the Series 7 (Series 7 – General Securities Representative Exam). Taken separately for each line of authority you want to sell. BLS describes the content as insurance fundamentals plus the state's insurance laws. Because both the exam and any pre-licensing course are set at state level, the length, format and fee differ by state and by line.