by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 70 U.S. colleges awarded 2,100 degrees and certificates in Insurance. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 57% of graduates. College Factual ranks 32 schools in its 2027 Best Insurance Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $64,199 one year after completing, rising to $92,278 after four years.
Insurance serves a vital function in businesses by assessing and protecting against risk. If you are interested in the field of Risk Management for Businesses, Insurance may be a good major for you.
There are different kinds of risk associated with business. Whether it be your employee getting hurt on the job, or inventory is damaged or stolen; these situations can all be elucidated by risk management. Risk management is a form of insurance, which will protect companies against injury and loss. If you pursue a degree in Insurance you will learn handle risk and provide insurance and risk management for business, organizations, and individuals.
While studying this major, you will take various courses on health care financing, retirement plans, life and health insurance, risk management, employee benefits, and principle of insurance. This major is commonly offered as a Bachelor's degree.
A major in Insurance involves the study of Insurance.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., insurance is a popular field of study, with 2,100 degrees awarded annually. 70 colleges award insurance degrees, an average of 30 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 494.
By level, the 2,100 awards include 17 certificates, 27 associate degrees, 1,194 bachelor’s degrees and 850 master’s degrees.
Women earned 34% of insurance degrees and certificates in the latest year (725 of 2,100). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (1,392) and Hispanic or Latino (182), and international students earned 34.
College Factual ranks 32 schools in its 2027 Best Insurance Schools ranking, including 19 for bachelor’s degrees and 3 for master’s degrees. It also ranks insurance schools within 19 states. In all, 70 colleges offer insurance programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Insurance Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common insurance credential is the bachelor’s degree: 1,194 of the 2,100 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to insurance call most for Reading Comprehension, Active Listening and Critical Thinking, and for knowledge of Customer and Personal Service, English Language and Mathematics, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Oral Expression and Oral Comprehension.
Strong people skills will help you achieve success in this major and a future career. You will be working directly with many different clients; in order to understand their needs and concerns it is important to be personable and trustworthy. Relationship building will be part of the job.
Mathematical skills are required to match and calculate prices, as well as to assess risk and the cost of possible damaging situations. If this is a field that interests you, prepare for it while still in high school. Take courses in business, accounting, economics, statistics and computer applications if they offered at your school.
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How long an insurance degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 17 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 27 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1,194 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 850 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to insurance, at 45.8%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 45.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 12.4% |
| Some college courses | 10.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 8.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 5.8% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 5.7% |
| Doctoral degree | 4.9% |
| Master’s degree | 4.6% |
| First professional degree | 2.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
8 occupations are related to Insurance, with an average median salary of $89,465; the strongest outlook belongs to Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators, at 12.2% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Pension Agent, Life Insurance Producer, Health Insurance Specialist and Estate Planner.
Insurance is necessary for everyone; therefore graduates with a degree in Insurance will have many opportunities within this field. One quickly growing field is that of Insurance Sales Agents. These agents are professionals who assist individuals and companies to choose which insurance policies match their needs, in terms of their lives, property, and health.
Another popular field is to become an Actuary. Actuaries determine how likely various events are going to occur. They take that information and create different plans to fit individuals and companies. Additional career options include Insurance Underwriters, Personal Financial Advisors, Claims Adjuster, Examiners, and Investigators.
The occupation related to insurance with the most projected jobs is Insurance Sales Agents, at 1,004,547.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance Sales Agents | 1,004,547 | 8.7% |
| Appraisers of Personal and Business Property | 814,640 | 8.0% |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | 707,069 | 12.2% |
| Compensation and Benefits Managers | 255,286 | 6.5% |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | 181,317 | 10.6% |
| Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists | 128,224 | -3.3% |
| Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage | 67,376 | 8.6% |
| Insurance Underwriters | 55,479 | -3.6% |
Insurance graduates earn a median $64,199 one year after completing their program, $92,278 after four years and $90,335 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $64,199 |
| 4 years | $92,278 |
| 5 years | $90,335 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to insurance is Insurance Underwriters, with a median salary of $129,939.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Insurance Underwriters | $129,939 |
| Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage | $119,691 |
| Appraisers of Personal and Business Property | $118,242 |
| Compensation and Benefits Managers | $107,570 |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | $80,576 |
| Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists | $65,230 |
| Insurance Sales Agents | $47,818 |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $46,655 |
Insurance includes 1 concentration; by graduates, the largest is Insurance (2,100). It has 21 similar majors in the Business, Management & Marketing field, which together award 882,049 degrees a year; the largest are Business Administration, Management and Operations (421,752), Accounting and Related Services (86,793) and Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (68,298). Browse all Business, Management & Marketing majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Insurance | 2,100 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 421,752 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 86,793 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 68,298 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 61,663 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 60,422 |
| Marketing | 56,635 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 27,822 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 15,088 |
| Business Operations Support and Assistant Services | 14,895 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 13,200 |
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