Best degree programs for Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators, ranked by enrollment
2 college programs and 70 schools train Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $78,000 median wage, 324,230 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
2 college programs at 70 schools train claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators, graduating 1,809 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Insurance. The job pays a median of $78,000 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
Review settled claims to determine that payments and settlements are made in accordance with company practices and procedures. Confer with legal counsel on claims requiring litigation. May also settle insurance claims.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
2 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 52.1701 | 1,798 | 99.4% | 69 | $56,988 | $22,500 |
| 2 | CIP 51.0715 | 11 | 0.6% | 1 | $30,774 | $17,375 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American College of Financial Services King of Prussia, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 494 | Insurance | — | — | — |
| 2 | University of Georgia Athens, GA Public · 1 feeder programs | 259 | Insurance | 90% | — | 38% |
| 3 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL Public · 1 feeder programs | 92 | Insurance | 86% | — | 24% |
| 4 | University of South Carolina - Columbia Columbia, SC Public · 1 feeder programs | 63 | Insurance | 79% | — | 60% |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI Public · 1 feeder programs | 59 | Insurance | 90% | — | 45% |
| 6 | Kansas State University Manhattan, KS Public · 1 feeder programs | 57 | Insurance | 71% | — | 82% |
| 7 | University of Kansas Lawrence, KS Public · 1 feeder programs | 45 | Insurance | 69% | — | 93% |
| 8 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 37 | Insurance | 79% | $34,418 | 89% |
| 9 | Georgia State University Atlanta, GA Public · 1 feeder programs | 34 | Insurance | 53% | — | 55% |
| 10 | University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 34 | Insurance | 75% | — | 78% |
| 11 | William Rainey Harper College Palatine, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 33 | Insurance | 48% | — | — |
| 12 | University of Mississippi University, MS Public · 1 feeder programs | 31 | Insurance | 72% | — | 97% |
| 13 | University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe, LA Public · 1 feeder programs | 30 | Insurance | 54% | — | 85% |
| 14 | Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, KY Public · 1 feeder programs | 28 | Insurance | 50% | — | 78% |
| 15 | Appalachian State University Boone, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 26 | Insurance | 75% | — | 90% |
| 16 | St. John's University - New York Queens, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 26 | Insurance | 66% | $27,359 | 83% |
| 17 | University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OH Public · 1 feeder programs | 23 | Insurance | 75% | — | 85% |
| 18 | University of Houston - Downtown Houston, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 23 | Insurance | 33% | — | 90% |
| 19 | Illinois State University Normal, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 22 | Insurance | 65% | — | 88% |
| 20 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN Public · 1 feeder programs | 21 | Insurance | 85% | — | 80% |
| 21 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 20 | Insurance | 75% | — | 84% |
| 22 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 17 | Insurance | 96% | $15,315 | 4% |
| 23 | Lorain County Community College Elyria, OH Public · 1 feeder programs | 17 | Insurance | 31% | — | — |
| 24 | Pittsburg State University Pittsburg, KS Public · 1 feeder programs | 17 | Insurance | 57% | — | 89% |
| 25 | University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI Public · 1 feeder programs | 17 | Insurance | 46% | — | 87% |
| 26 | The University of Olivet Olivet, MI Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 16 | Insurance | 35% | $21,946 | 83% |
| 27 | Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, IN Public · 1 feeder programs | 15 | Insurance | 40% | — | — |
| 28 | University of North Texas Denton, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 14 | Insurance | 61% | — | 72% |
| 29 | Rio Salado College Tempe, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 13 | Insurance | 9% | — | — |
| 30 | Boston University Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 12 | Insurance | 89% | $21,956 | 11% |
| 31 | Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 12 | Insurance | 58% | — | 91% |
| 32 | Wichita State University Wichita, KS Public · 1 feeder programs | 12 | Insurance | 51% | — | 94% |
| 33 | Galaxy Medical College North Hollywood, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 11 | Health/Medical Claims Examiner | 86% | $11,331 | — |
| 34 | University of Central Arkansas Conway, AR Public · 1 feeder programs | 11 | Insurance | 54% | — | 89% |
| 35 | Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL Public · 1 feeder programs | 10 | Insurance | 63% | — | 66% |
| 36 | Husson University Bangor, ME Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 10 | Insurance | 59% | $18,839 | 81% |
| 37 | Santa Monica College Santa Monica, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 10 | Insurance | 36% | — | — |
| 38 | Butler University Indianapolis, IN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 9 | Insurance | 80% | $35,696 | 85% |
| 39 | Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 9 | Insurance | 47% | — | 91% |
| 40 | Indiana State University Terre Haute, IN Public · 1 feeder programs | 9 | Insurance | 43% | — | 81% |
| 41 | Lansing Community College Lansing, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 8 | Insurance | 25% | — | — |
| 42 | University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OK Public · 1 feeder programs | 8 | Insurance | 37% | — | 78% |
| 43 | Danville Area Community College Danville, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 7 | Insurance | 45% | — | — |
| 44 | Owens Community College Perrysburg, OH Public · 1 feeder programs | 7 | Insurance | 35% | — | — |
| 45 | Ball State University Muncie, IN Public · 1 feeder programs | 6 | Insurance | 62% | — | 85% |
| 46 | Baylor University Waco, TX Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 6 | Insurance | 80% | $35,682 | 51% |
| 47 | Kent State University at Salem Salem, OH Public · 1 feeder programs | 6 | Insurance | 31% | — | — |
| 48 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH Public · 1 feeder programs | 6 | Insurance | 88% | — | 61% |
| 49 | Gallaudet University Washington, DC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 5 | Insurance | 47% | $14,382 | 58% |
| 50 | University of South Florida Tampa, FL Public · 1 feeder programs | 5 | Insurance | 77% | — | 43% |
What claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvaniamoderate | $77,290 | 13,270 | 1.05× | 3 | 532 |
| Georgialimited | $73,320 | — | — | 2 | 293 |
| Kansas | $77,290 | 4,570 | 1.53× | 5 | 136 |
| Floridamoderate | $76,920 | 28,100 | 1.36× | 3 | 107 |
| Wisconsinmoderate | $78,160 | 8,760 | 1.43× | 3 | 77 |
| South Carolinalimited | $75,370 | 4,130 | 0.86× | 1 | 63 |
| Illinoismoderate | $77,010 | 14,210 | 1.12× | 3 | 62 |
| Ohio | $67,990 | 13,650 | 1.18× | 7 | 62 |
| Missourimoderate | $75,840 | 6,200 | 1.01× | 3 | 47 |
| New Yorkmoderate | $87,130 | 17,330 | 0.86× | 3 | 44 |
| Texasmoderate | $78,800 | 29,220 | 1.00× | 3 | 43 |
| Indiana | $73,560 | 4,340 | 0.65× | 5 | 40 |
| Michiganmoderate | $78,850 | 6,640 | 0.72× | 4 | 36 |
| Louisianalimited | $65,220 | 3,340 | 0.83× | 2 | 34 |
| California | $91,790 | 24,290 | 0.64× | 5 | 32 |
| Mississippilimited | $77,100 | — | — | 1 | 31 |
| Kentuckylimited | $73,840 | 3,670 | 0.88× | 1 | 28 |
| Minnesotamoderate | $78,350 | 5,530 | 0.90× | 3 | 26 |
| North Carolinalimited | $75,310 | 9,880 | 0.96× | 1 | 26 |
| Iowalimited | $72,640 | 3,930 | 1.21× | 2 | 22 |
| Arizonalimited | $65,110 | 13,830 | 2.05× | 2 | 15 |
| Massachusettslimited | $83,740 | 5,070 | 0.67× | 1 | 12 |
| Arkansaslimited | $73,920 | 2,660 | 0.98× | 1 | 11 |
| Mainelimited | $78,590 | 1,650 | 1.23× | 2 | 11 |
| Oklahomalimited | $71,260 | 4,140 | 1.16× | 1 | 8 |
| District of Columbialimited | $101,150 | 360 | 0.24× | 1 | 5 |
| New Jerseylimited | $95,690 | 9,650 | 1.08× | 1 | 4 |
| Washingtonlimited | $80,700 | 6,180 | 0.83× | 1 | 2 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Examine claims forms and other records to determine insurance coverage.
- Analyze information gathered by investigation and report findings and recommendations.
- Pay and process claims within designated authority level.
- Investigate, evaluate, and settle claims, applying technical knowledge and human relations skills to effect fair and prompt disposal of cases and to contribute to a reduced loss ratio.
- Verify and analyze data used in settling claims to ensure that claims are valid and that settlements are made according to company practices and procedures.
- Review police reports, medical treatment records, medical bills, or physical property damage to determine the extent of liability.
- Investigate and assess damage to property and create or review property damage estimates.
- Interview or correspond with agents and claimants to correct errors or omissions and to investigate questionable claims.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension4.1
- Active Listening4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Speaking3.9
- Writing3.6
- Monitoring3.4
- Active Learning3.3
- Mathematics2.9
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service4.7
- English Language4.4
- Administrative3.8
- Mathematics3.7
- Computers and Electronics3.4
- Law and Government3.3
Abilities
- Written Comprehension4.4
- Oral Expression4.1
- Oral Comprehension4.1
- Deductive Reasoning4.0
- Inductive Reasoning4.0
- Near Vision3.9
Core activities
- Working with Computers4.7
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization4.6
- Getting Information4.6
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.5
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.5
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.4
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Claims Adjuster
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 2 majors mapped to Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators2 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 51.0715Health/Medical Claims Examiner
- 52.1701Insurance
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Claims Adjuster?+
High school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Insurance, which awarded 1,798 degrees in 2024-25, 99.4% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Claims Adjuster?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 2 programs to this occupation. The largest are Insurance, Health and Medical Administrative Services. Together they graduate about 1,809 people a year.
How much do claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators earn?+
The median is $78,000 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $48,850 at the 10th percentile to $117,040 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators growing?+
BLS projects a -5.1% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, decline, with roughly 21,100 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
70 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 2 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Claims Analyst, Claims Adjuster, Claims Examiner, Claims Representative among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 13-1031.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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