Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators

The median annual wage for Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators is $75,050, based on BLS OEWS 2023 data. The mean annual wage is $75,770, and an estimated 293,780 workers are employed in this occupation nationally. Between 2020 and 2023, pay rose +9.9% while consumer prices rose 17.7% — a real change of -6.6% (pay did not keep up with inflation). BLS projects employment will shrink 5.1% between 2024 and 2034.

Wage Trend & Inflation Adjustment

How the national median wage for Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators has moved across BLS OEWS release years, and what each year's wage is worth in 2023 dollars after adjusting for CPI inflation. "Real" change strips out inflation — the truest measure of whether pay is actually rising.

National median wage trend for Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators, nominal and inflation-adjusted, BLS OEWS.
Year	Median (nominal)	In 2023 $ (real)	Employment
2023	$75,050	$75,050	293,780
2022	$72,230	$75,203	285,270
2021	$65,080	$73,182	278,140
2020	$68,270	$80,375	287,150

Nominal change

+9.9%

Inflation (CPI)

+17.7%

Real change

-6.6%

Job Outlook (2024–2034 BLS projection)

The BLS Employment Projections program estimates how each occupation's employment will change over the coming decade, and how many job openings to expect each year (from both growth and the need to replace workers who leave).

Projected Growth

-5.1%

Declining

Employment 2024

356,100

Projected 2034

337,900

Annual Openings

21,100

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Highest-Paying Areas (2023)

Where Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators earn the most, and how each area's median compares to the national median of $75,050. A positive premium means the area pays above the national rate.

Highest-paying areas for Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators, BLS OEWS 2023.
Area	Median Annual	vs National	Employment
Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area	$102,820	+37%	190
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area	$87,530	+16.6%	30
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area	$87,490	+16.6%	120
South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area	$87,110	+16.1%	50
Alaska	$86,820	+15.7%	200
Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area	$86,320	+15%	50
East Georgia nonmetropolitan area	$85,220	+13.6%	50
Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area	$85,220	+13.6%	30
Southwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area	$85,220	+13.6%	60
North Missouri nonmetropolitan area	$85,220	+13.6%	40

Full wages-by-state breakdown →

Wage Distribution (National, 2023)

10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages from BLS OEWS — the full spread, not just an average.

10th Pct

$47,390

25th Pct

$58,770

Median

$75,050

75th Pct

$91,100

90th Pct

$105,440

H-1B Employer Filings

Employer-certified wages from DOL H-1B LCA filings — competitive market benchmark, not approved visas.

The average H-1B median wage for this occupation is $90,000 — 19.9% above the OEWS national median of $75,050. H-1B sponsors are certifying pay above the prevailing market rate.

H-1B employer filings for Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators, DOL LCA data.
Employer	State	Filings	Median Wage
ACE American Insurance Company	NJ	1	$90,000

Source: DOL Office of Foreign Labor Certification, H-1B LCA data.

Related Occupations in Business & Financial Operations

Other occupations in the same SOC major group, ranked by national median wage.

Accountants and Auditors $166,611 Financial and Investment Analysts $157,612 Financial Risk Specialists $106,090 Personal Financial Advisors $99,580 Management Analysts $99,410 Project Management Specialists $98,580 Labor Relations Specialists $89,980 Budget Analysts $84,940

All Business & Financial Operations occupations →

Wages by State Compare with another occupation All H-1B Employers