Sales and Related Occupations·SOC 41-3021

Best degree programs for Insurance Sales Agents, ranked by enrollment

1 college programs and 69 schools train Insurance Sales Agents. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $62,280 median wage, 479,100 U.S. jobs. Federal data.

1 college programs at 69 schools train insurance sales agents, graduating 1,798 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Insurance. The job pays a median of $62,280 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Graduates / yr
1,798
from every feeder program
Median annual wage
$62,280
BLS OEWS May 2025
Projected growth
+3.7%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr
47,000
new plus replacement
Schools
69
with a feeder program
States with jobs
28
BLS reports wages

About insurance sales agents

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.

Also calledSales AgentInsurance AgentInsurance BrokerSales RepresentativeSolicitorBond WriterDebit AgentBurial AgentPension AgentDistrict AgentEstate PlannerSales Associate

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.

1 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.

Degree programs that lead to this occupation, ranked by graduates per year
#ProgramGraduates / yrShare of pipelineSchoolsGrad earnings (1 yr)Median debt
1
CIP 52.1701
1,798
100.0%
69$56,988$22,500

Top 50 schools by graduates into this job

Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.

Schools ranked by graduates per year into this occupation
#SchoolGraduates / yrTop feeder programGrad rateNet priceAcceptance
1American College of Financial Services
King of Prussia, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
494Insurance
2University of Georgia
Athens, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
259Insurance90%38%
3Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL Public · 1 feeder programs
92Insurance86%24%
4University of South Carolina - Columbia
Columbia, SC Public · 1 feeder programs
63Insurance79%60%
5University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI Public · 1 feeder programs
59Insurance90%45%
6Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS Public · 1 feeder programs
57Insurance71%82%
7University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS Public · 1 feeder programs
45Insurance69%93%
8Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
37Insurance79%$34,41889%
9Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
34Insurance53%55%
10University of Missouri - Columbia
Columbia, MO Public · 1 feeder programs
34Insurance75%78%
11William Rainey Harper College
Palatine, IL Public · 1 feeder programs
33Insurance48%
12University of Mississippi
University, MS Public · 1 feeder programs
31Insurance72%97%
13University of Louisiana at Monroe
Monroe, LA Public · 1 feeder programs
30Insurance54%85%
14Eastern Kentucky University
Richmond, KY Public · 1 feeder programs
28Insurance50%78%
15Appalachian State University
Boone, NC Public · 1 feeder programs
26Insurance75%90%
16St. John's University - New York
Queens, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
26Insurance66%$27,35983%
17University of Cincinnati - Main Campus
Cincinnati, OH Public · 1 feeder programs
23Insurance75%85%
18University of Houston - Downtown
Houston, TX Public · 1 feeder programs
23Insurance33%90%
19Illinois State University
Normal, IL Public · 1 feeder programs
22Insurance65%88%
20University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN Public · 1 feeder programs
21Insurance85%80%
21University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA Public · 1 feeder programs
20Insurance75%84%
22Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
17Insurance96%$15,3154%
23Lorain County Community College
Elyria, OH Public · 1 feeder programs
17Insurance31%
24Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg, KS Public · 1 feeder programs
17Insurance57%89%
25University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
Oshkosh, WI Public · 1 feeder programs
17Insurance46%87%
26The University of Olivet
Olivet, MI Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
16Insurance35%$21,94683%
27Ivy Tech Community College
Indianapolis, IN Public · 1 feeder programs
15Insurance40%
28University of North Texas
Denton, TX Public · 1 feeder programs
14Insurance61%72%
29Rio Salado College
Tempe, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs
13Insurance9%
30Boston University
Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
12Insurance89%$21,95611%
31Missouri State University - Springfield
Springfield, MO Public · 1 feeder programs
12Insurance58%91%
32Wichita State University
Wichita, KS Public · 1 feeder programs
12Insurance51%94%
33University of Central Arkansas
Conway, AR Public · 1 feeder programs
11Insurance54%89%
34Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL Public · 1 feeder programs
10Insurance63%66%
35Husson University
Bangor, ME Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
10Insurance59%$18,83981%
36Santa Monica College
Santa Monica, CA Public · 1 feeder programs
10Insurance36%
37Butler University
Indianapolis, IN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
9Insurance80%$35,69685%
38Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI Public · 1 feeder programs
9Insurance47%91%
39Indiana State University
Terre Haute, IN Public · 1 feeder programs
9Insurance43%81%
40Lansing Community College
Lansing, MI Public · 1 feeder programs
8Insurance25%
41University of Central Oklahoma
Edmond, OK Public · 1 feeder programs
8Insurance37%78%
42Danville Area Community College
Danville, IL Public · 1 feeder programs
7Insurance45%
43Owens Community College
Perrysburg, OH Public · 1 feeder programs
7Insurance35%
44Ball State University
Muncie, IN Public · 1 feeder programs
6Insurance62%85%
45Baylor University
Waco, TX Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
6Insurance80%$35,68251%
46Kent State University at Salem
Salem, OH Public · 1 feeder programs
6Insurance31%
47Ohio State University - Main Campus
Columbus, OH Public · 1 feeder programs
6Insurance88%61%
48Gallaudet University
Washington, DC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
5Insurance47%$14,38258%
49University of South Florida
Tampa, FL Public · 1 feeder programs
5Insurance77%43%
50Washburn University
Topeka, KS Public · 1 feeder programs
5Insurance53%

What insurance sales agents earn

What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.

Median annual wage
$62,280
Mean annual
$81,480
Median hourly
$29.94/hr
People employed
479,100
What the range looks like
10th pct$37,330Median$62,28090th pct$138,140

Top-paying metro areas

Fond du Lac, WI
$95,110median
120 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$95,640median
4,860 jobs
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
$84,670median
6,750 jobs
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
$80,620median
21,280 jobs
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
$80,120median
7,420 jobs
Barnstable Town, MA
$79,520median
180 jobs
Anniston-Oxford, AL
$76,200median
90 jobs
La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
$80,300median
130 jobs

Job outlook

Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.

Projected growth 2024–34
+3.7%
About as fast as average
Openings per year
47,000
new jobs plus replacements
Employment change
21,100
568,800 → 589,800
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Plus moderate-term on-the-job training

Where the jobs are, state by state

Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.

This occupation state by state: pay, jobs, and schools
StateMedian payJobsConcentrationSchoolsGraduates / yr
Pennsylvaniamoderate$73,37019,3901.04×3532
Georgialimited$61,85018,0301.20×2293
Kansas$60,3706,3601.44×5136
Floridamoderate$59,79047,5601.55×3107
Wisconsinmoderate$79,4507,8600.87×377
South Carolinalimited$61,3508,2201.16×163
Illinoismoderate$64,28016,3600.87×362
Ohio$61,26016,2500.95×762
Missourimoderate$58,99010,0301.11×347
New Yorkmoderate$78,11022,4200.75×344
Texasmoderate$51,18047,0601.09×343
Indiana$61,36010,4401.06×540
Michiganmoderate$61,90012,1600.90×436
Louisianalimited$55,4407,1001.19×234
Mississippilimited$47,9303,2100.90×131
Kentuckylimited$60,8806,2101.01×128
Minnesotamoderate$78,64010,0101.10×326
North Carolinalimited$58,71020,5401.35×126
Iowalimited$60,1406,8401.42×222
Californiamoderate$76,12041,1600.73×421
Arizonalimited$61,56011,8701.19×215
Massachusettslimited$79,3009,9400.89×112
Arkansaslimited$56,7204,5801.14×111
Mainelimited$62,9202,2401.14×211
Oklahomalimited$47,9205,3101.01×18
District of Columbialimited$84,53015
New Jerseylimited$81,64011,3700.86×14
Washingtonlimited$61,04010,5000.96×12

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

  • 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.

Skills

  • Reading Comprehension4.0
  • Speaking3.9
  • Active Listening3.9
  • Critical Thinking3.8
  • Writing3.6
  • Active Learning3.0
  • Mathematics3.0
  • Monitoring2.9

Knowledge areas

  • Customer and Personal Service4.7
  • Sales and Marketing4.6
  • English Language4.1
  • Mathematics3.6
  • Law and Government3.5
  • Transportation3.5

Abilities

  • Oral Comprehension4.0
  • Oral Expression4.0
  • Written Comprehension4.0
  • Speech Clarity3.8
  • Speech Recognition3.6
  • Written Expression3.6

Core activities

  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.2
  • Getting Information4.0
  • Selling or Influencing Others4.0
  • Working with Computers3.9
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.7
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.5

Tools and technology

hotmarks an O*NET hot technology
Adobe After EffectshotFacebookhotMicrosoft ExcelhotMicrosoft Office softwarehotMicrosoft OutlookhotMicrosoft PowerPointhotMicrosoft WindowshotMicrosoft WordhotZoomhotAdvantage Information Systems The Agency Advantage

How to get in

How to become a Insurance Sales Agent

Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-job training
Moderate-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 1 majors mapped to Insurance Sales Agents1 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
  • 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 an Insurance Sales Agent?+

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, 100.0% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.

Which college majors lead to becoming an Insurance Sales Agent?+

The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 1 programs to this occupation. The largest are Insurance. Together they graduate about 1,798 people a year.

How much do insurance sales agents earn?+

The median is $62,280 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $37,330 at the 10th percentile to $138,140 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 insurance sales agents growing?+

BLS projects a +3.7% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 47,000 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.

How many schools offer programs for this career?+

69 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 1 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 insurance sales agents work under?+

Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Sales Agent, Insurance Agent, Insurance Broker, Sales Representative among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 41-3021.

Programs that lead hereInsurance

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 2025

    Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.

  • BLS Employment Projections

    2024–34

    Projected 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 cohorts

    Median graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.

  • Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes

    latest available

    Graduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.

  • NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk

    CIP 2020 / SOC 2018

    Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.

  • O*NET Database 30.3

    30.3

    Tasks, 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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