What is the salary and career path for a claims manager?
Claims manager maps to the broad Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators code (SOC 13-1031), which does not break out claims supervisors separately, so the OEWS May 2025 median is $78,000 a year ($37.50 an hour), from $48,850 at the 10th percentile to $117,040 at the 90th. Managers running larger teams and complex-loss units sit near the top of that band. BLS projects a 5.1% decline over 2024–2034 as automation reshapes the claims workforce, with roughly 21,100 openings a year across the code. No license is required for the management role, though many managers hold prior adjuster licensing and AIC or CPCU designations.
- Claims Managers earn a national median $78,000/yr ($37.50/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1031); the top 10% clear $117,040.
- No license is required for the management role, though many claims managers hold prior adjuster licensing and AIC or CPCU designations.
- BLS projects a 5.1% decline for 2024–34 across the broad claims code as automation reshapes the workforce, with roughly 21,100 openings a year.
- The ladder runs from senior adjuster through claims manager to director of claims near the code's $117,040 top decile.
Career Path
How do you become a claims manager?
Senior Adjuster / Team Lead
Handles complex claims and mentors peers before managing; pay near the BLS 10th percentile of the code.
Claims Manager
Leads a claims team, setting authority and standards — around the $78,000 median for the code.
Senior Claims Manager
Runs a larger or complex-loss claims operation; earnings near the 75th percentile.
Director of Claims
Owns claims strategy for a region or company; top-decile pay near the 90th percentile of the code.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays claims managers the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1031. National median: $78,000. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does claims manager pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles claims managers most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: claims managers rank 3 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected −5.1% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly claims managers clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1031 (claims managers) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do claims managers need?
An Institutes designation covering claims handling and management that many claims leaders hold. See all state licences →
An advanced Institutes designation that signals deep property-casualty and claims expertise.
Many claims managers rise from licensed adjuster roles, carrying that state licensing into management.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do claims managers use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 13-1031
Salary Levers
How do claims managers earn above the $78,000 BLS median?
Team size and complexity
Managing larger teams and complex-loss units moves pay toward and beyond the $78,000 code median.
Loss-cost and quality results
A record of controlling loss costs, leakage and cycle time lifts earnings toward the $98,030 upper quartile.
Advancement to director
Owning regional or company claims strategy pushes earnings toward the $117,040 top decile of the code.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a claims manager worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1031. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Claims Manager Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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