Decides whether an insurer will guarantee a contractor's or company's obligations through a surety bond, and on what terms. BLS does not publish separate figures for insurance underwriters; it counts them within insurance underwriter (SOC 13-2053), whose median pay is $81,370 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 13-2053
- Business and Financial Operations
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Surety Underwriter in four numbers
- Median pay
- $81,370a year, or $39.12/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $56KTop 10% $145K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -3.8%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−3.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −3.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 6,800125,600 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025125.6K
- Projected 2035120.8K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 125.6K Projected 2035 120.8K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school10%
- Some college6.7%
- Associate's10%
- Bachelor's70%
- Post-bacc certificate3.3%
Highest education held by insurance underwriters Segment Value High school 10% Some college 6.7% Associate's 10% Bachelor's 70% Post-bacc certificate 3.3%
Also advertised as: Contract Surety Underwriter, Commercial Surety Underwriter, Bond Underwriter, Surety Account Manager, Surety Underwriting Manager.
Pay
How much do Insurance Underwriters make?
Every surety underwriter in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$81,370
Middle half earn $64,620 to $110,390
- 10th
- $55,530
- 25th
- $64,620
- 75th
- $110,390
- 90th
- $145,160
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $55,530 |
| 25th | $64,620 |
| Median | $81,370 |
| 75th | $110,390 |
| 90th | $145,160 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $81,370
- Median hourly wage
- $39.12/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $93,700
- People employed
- 105,420
Versus all US occupations
At $81,370, Insurance Underwriters earn 60% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $30,390 a year.
Versus business and financial operations occupations
The median is typical for the Business and Financial Operations group, where the middle occupation pays $80,730.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $145,160 or more while the bottom 10% earn $55,530, a gap of 2.6×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 61% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Massachusetts posts the highest raw median ($106,640), but once local prices are taken into account Wisconsin leads at $103,481 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Insurance Underwriters the most?
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.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Massachusetts | $106,640 | $100,835 | 2,890 |
| 2New Hampshire | $103,940 | $99,784 | 270 |
| 3Nevada | $101,440 | $101,461 | 480 |
| 4Connecticut | $100,690 | $97,182 | 2,010 |
| 5Colorado | $100,640 | $97,659 | 2,040 |
| 6Washington | $99,400 | $92,886 | 1,740 |
| 7New York | $97,450 | $90,298 | 6,900 |
| 8Wisconsin | $97,370 | $103,481 | 3,110 |
| 9New Jersey | $96,220 | $88,433 | 3,150 |
| 10Maine | $95,510 | $98,413 | 520 |
Job outlook
Is Surety Underwriter a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -3.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Insurance Underwriters | −3.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Insurance Underwriters to change -3.8% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 4,800 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 6,800 openings are projected each year, 5.4% of the 125,600 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Surety Underwriter
A bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, business or construction management is typical. Many surety underwriters start in insurer training programs or as underwriting assistants, learning construction accounting and credit analysis on the job.
The Associate in Fidelity and Surety Bonding designation, offered by The Institutes in partnership with the National Association of Surety Bond Producers, is the main credential. The Surety and Fidelity Association of America provides industry education. Accounting knowledge, particularly percentage-of-completion accounting used by contractors, is essential.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as insurance underwriters.
- Bachelor's Degree70%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)10%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree10%
- Some College Courses6.7%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate3.3%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 70% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 10% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 10% |
| Some College Courses | 6.7% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 3.3% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Surety Underwriter do?
Surety bonds guarantee that a contractor will finish a project or that a company will meet a legal obligation. Surety underwriters decide which contractors and businesses their company will back. Federal law under the Miller Act requires performance and payment bonds on federal construction contracts, and many states have similar rules.
Unlike most insurance underwriting, surety underwriting is much like credit analysis. Underwriters review a contractor's financial statements, work in progress, experience, banking relationships and management, then set a bonding limit and terms. They meet contractors and surety agents, monitor accounts over time, and work with claims staff when a contractor runs into trouble.
Day-to-day tasks
- Analyze contractor financial statements and work in progress
- Set bonding limits and terms for accounts
- Review bond requests for specific projects
- Meet contractors and surety agents to assess management
- Monitor account performance and project backlogs
- Work with claims staff on troubled projects
- Document underwriting decisions
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Surety underwriters work in insurer offices with hybrid schedules and regular travel to visit contractors, agents and job sites. Hours are mostly regular, with busier periods during construction bidding seasons. The work is analytical and relationship based.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension3.8
- Active Listening3.8
- Writing3.8
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Speaking3.6
- Active Learning3.1
- Monitoring3.0
- Mathematics2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 |
| Active Listening | 3.8 |
| Writing | 3.8 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 |
| Speaking | 3.6 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Mathematics | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Coordination3.0
- Service Orientation3.0
- Persuasion2.9
- Time Management2.9
- Negotiation2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.5 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Service Orientation | 3.0 |
| Persuasion | 2.9 |
| Time Management | 2.9 |
| Negotiation | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Document management software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Financial analysis software
- Information retrieval or search software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Surety Underwriter?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code CEI) built on O*NET's Insurance Underwriter profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Surety Underwriter |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 5 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
- Conventional6.2
- Enterprising4.8
- Investigative4.0
- Social2.8
- Realistic1.7
- Artistic1.0
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.
Explore further
Careers related to Surety Underwriter
O*NET related occupations
- Business and Financial Operations
- Business and Financial Operations
- Business and Financial Operations
- Business and Financial Operations
- Sales and Related
- Business and Financial Operations
Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator
$78,000median a year
Most earn $49K to $117K
−5.5%High school
More business and financial operations careers
Median annual pay, with insurance underwriters highlighted
- Financial Advisor$105,070
- Accountant$83,680
- Insurance Underwriter$81,370
- Surety Underwriter$81,370
- Coroner$80,730
- Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator$78,000
- Loan Officer$76,690
- Human Resources Specialist$75,940
- Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate$67,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Financial Advisor | $105,070 |
| Accountant | $83,680 |
| Insurance Underwriter | $81,370 |
| Surety Underwriter | $81,370 |
| Coroner | $80,730 |
| Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator | $78,000 |
| Loan Officer | $76,690 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $75,940 |
| Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate | $67,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Surety Underwriter appears on
Questions
Surety Underwriter: frequently asked questions
How much do Insurance Underwriters make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for insurance underwriters. It counts them within insurance underwriter, whose median pay is $81,370 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $64,620 and $110,390, and the top 10% earn $145,160 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Surety Underwriter?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Insurance Underwriters, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. 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, 70.0% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Surety Underwriter a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 3.8% over 2025–2035, a loss of 4,800 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 6,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Surety Underwriter do?
Surety bonds guarantee that a contractor will finish a project or that a company will meet a legal obligation. A typical task: analyze contractor financial statements and work in progress. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Object or component oriented development software.
Which states pay Insurance Underwriters the most?
The highest state medians for Insurance Underwriters are Massachusetts ($106,640), New Hampshire ($103,940), Nevada ($101,440) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Wisconsin moves to the top at $103,481.
What personality type suits a Surety Underwriter?
O*NET scores Insurance Underwriters highest on the Conventional, Enterprising and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ESTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.