What are the main factors that influence a Claims Handler's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Claims Handler's salary?

A Claims Handler's salary grows with experience: a Claims Handler (0-1 years)earns $39,889, a Claims Clerk II (1-3 years)earns $47,963, a Claims Clerk III (3-5 years)earns $53,215, a Claims Supervisor I (5+ years)earns $77,095, a Claims Supervisor II (5+ years)earns $101,707,

What are the highest paying states for a Claims Handler?

Claims Handler salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Claims Handler roles are District of Columbia $44,376, California $44,208, Massachusetts $43,619. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Claims Handler roles make?

Salaries for Claims Handler level roles vary by specialization: Case Handler: $86,611; Incident Handler: $49,211; Dog Handler: $47,726; Personal Injury Claims Handler: $44,835; Account Handler: $42,179.

How do different companies affect a Claims Handler's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Claims Handler roles. Large, established industry leaders like Kpmg Us LLP ($114,295) and Warner Bros Discovery ($114,096) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $88,138.

Claims Handler Salary in the United States

How much does a Claims Handler make in the United States?

As of May 18, 2021, the average salary for a Claims Handler in the United States is $40,080 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $19.

However, a Claims Handler's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $47,926
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $37,167 to $44,186
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $34,515

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Claims Handler Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$44,186	$3,682	$850	$21
Average	$40,080	$3,340	$771	$19
25th Percentile	$37,167	$3,097	$715	$18

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

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Key Factors That Influence Claims Handler Salaries

A Claims Handler's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Claims Handler Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Claims Handler's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $39,889
Early Career (1-2 years): $47,963
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $53,215
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $77,095
Expert (over 8 years): $101,707

Levels	Salary
Claims Ha... Level Claims Handler	$39,889
Claims Cl... Level Claims Handler	$47,963
Claims Cl... Level Claims Handler	$53,215
Claims Su... Level Claims Handler	$77,095
Claims Su... Level Claims Handler	$101,707

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Claims Handler Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Claims Handlers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $44,376.
California: $44,208.
Massachusetts: $43,619.

District of Columbia $44,376 California $44,208 Massachusetts $43,619 Washington $43,458 New Jersey $43,442 Alaska $43,386 Connecticut $42,833 New York $42,609

Hawaii $41,891 Rhode Island $41,554 Maryland $41,326 Minnesota $41,013 Colorado $40,893 Illinois $40,853 Oregon $40,701 Delaware $40,589

New Hampshire $40,518 Virginia $40,360 Pennsylvania $39,899 Nevada $39,667 North Dakota $39,591 Michigan $39,470 Wisconsin $39,426 Vermont $39,338

Texas $39,094 Maine $39,078 Arizona $39,053 Ohio $39,025 Georgia $38,657 Indiana $38,472 Wyoming $38,436 Utah $38,380

Iowa $38,356 Kansas $38,164 Louisiana $38,108 North Carolina $38,088 Missouri $38,080 Florida $37,923 Montana $37,839 Nebraska $37,759

Kentucky $37,715 South Carolina $37,555 Tennessee $37,454 Idaho $37,414 New Mexico $37,122 Oklahoma $37,058 Alabama $36,821 South Dakota $36,424

Arkansas $36,208 West Virginia $36,092 Mississippi $35,743

Top Paying Cities for Claims Handlers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $50,552
San Francisco: $50,055
Oakland: $48,945

San Jose, CA $50,552

San Francisco, CA $50,055

Oakland, CA $48,945

New York, NY $46,448

Queens Village, NY $46,148

Paramus, NJ $45,827

Passaic, NJ $45,787

Bergenfield, NJ $45,747

Stamford, CT $45,687

Huntington, NY $45,647

Newark, NJ $45,386

Bridgeport, CT $45,306

New Brunswick, NJ $45,174

Vallejo, CA $45,089

Middlesex, NJ $45,065

Somerset, NJ $45,029

Petaluma, CA $44,937

Santa Cruz, CA $44,781

Boston, MA $44,701

Monterey, CA $44,500

Fairbanks, AK $44,472

Los Angeles, CA $44,396

Washington, DC $44,376

Seattle, WA $44,304

Santa Rosa, CA $44,296

Juneau, AK $44,180

Orange, CA $44,047

Anchorage, AK $43,975

Anaheim, CA $43,947

Santa Ana, CA $43,887

Nassau, NY $43,863

Long Beach, CA $43,847

Danbury, CT $43,835

Santa Maria, CA $43,699

Everett, WA $43,691

Bremerton, WA $43,494

Trenton, NJ $43,418

Sacramento, CA $43,402

San Diego, CA $43,382

Brockton, MA $43,366

Tacoma, WA $43,350

Santa Barbara, CA $43,294

Lowell, MA $43,134

New Suffolk, NY $43,118

Nashua, NH $43,069

Lompoc, CA $43,005

Ventura, CA $42,965

Stockton, CA $42,953

New Haven, CT $42,873

Atlantic City, NJ $42,769

Hartford, CT $42,681

Modesto, CA $42,661

Poughkeepsie, NY $42,572

New Britain, CT $42,552

Kennewick, WA $42,496

Olympia, WA $42,496

New London, CT $42,488

Norwich, CT $42,476

Lawrence, MA $42,456

Bakersfield, CA $42,344

New Bedford, MA $42,288

Riverside, CA $42,288

Richland, WA $42,248

Portsmouth, NH $42,216

Vineland, NJ $42,208

San Bernardino, CA $42,176

Boulder, CO $42,063

Worcester, MA $42,031

Portland, OR $41,995

Saint Paul, MN $41,947

Minneapolis, MN $41,947

Philadelphia, PA $41,891

Honolulu, HI $41,679

Springfield, MA $41,538

Providence, RI $41,534

Chicago, IL $41,418

Bellingham, WA $41,370

Baltimore, MD $41,326

Chico, CA $41,226

Wilmington, DE $41,158

Pittsfield, MA $41,118

Manchester, NH $41,041

Spokane, WA $40,865

Denver, CO $40,861

Albany, NY $40,673

Troy, NY $40,657

Schenectady, NY $40,572

Burlington, VT $40,484

Portland, ME $40,344

Salem, OR $40,312

Yakima, WA $40,304

Ann Arbor, MI $40,292

Rochester, MN $40,180

Reno, NV $40,160

Fresno, CA $40,160

Milwaukee, WI $40,124

Detroit, MI $40,084

Allentown, PA $40,071

Carson City, NV $40,067

Houston, TX $40,007

Colorado Springs, CO $40,003

Syracuse, NY $39,983

Eugene, OR $39,907

Gary, IN $39,859

Bismarck, ND $39,859

Galveston, TX $39,859

Springfield, OR $39,827

Medford, OR $39,731

Fort Collins, CO $39,715

Austin, TX $39,683

Mesa, AZ $39,599

Phoenix, AZ $39,591

Dallas, TX $39,579

Reading, PA $39,554

Saint Cloud, MN $39,538

Concord, NH $39,502

Madison, WI $39,486

Utica, NY $39,378

Raleigh, NC $39,346

Las Vegas, NV $39,342

Rochester, NY $39,314

Des Moines, IA $39,310

Atlanta, GA $39,246

Battle Creek, MI $39,234

Salt Lake City, UT $39,222

Lancaster, PA $39,162

Champaign, IL $39,154

Harrisburg, PA $39,106

Durham, NC $39,070

Kansas City, MO $39,066

Kansas City, KS $39,057

Fort Worth, TX $39,053

Boca Raton, FL $39,037

Cleveland, OH $39,033

Columbus, OH $39,025

Pittsburgh, PA $39,021

Richmond, VA $39,005

Indianapolis, IN $38,997

Cincinnati, OH $38,945

Petersburg, VA $38,885

Lansing, MI $38,797

Billings, MT $38,797

Huntsville, AL $38,797

Lebanon, PA $38,793

Pueblo, CO $38,789

Dayton, OH $38,789

Appleton, WI $38,777

Buffalo, NY $38,761

Racine, WI $38,741

Charlotte, NC $38,737

Saint Louis, MO $38,725

Springfield, IL $38,709

York, PA $38,701

Elkhart, IN $38,701

Gastonia, NC $38,697

Benton Harbor, MI $38,697

Beaumont, TX $38,673

Lorain, OH $38,665

Toledo, OH $38,649

Binghamton, NY $38,629

Rock Hill, SC $38,625

Rockford, IL $38,605

Elyria, OH $38,585

Fargo, ND $38,585

Flagstaff, AZ $38,556

Fort Lauderdale, FL $38,532

Miami, FL $38,508

Duluth, MN $38,444

Bangor, ME $38,392

Cedar Rapids, IA $38,348

Louisville, KY $38,328

Grand Rapids, MI $38,320

Hialeah, FL $38,316

Casper, WY $38,260

Scranton, PA $38,212

New Orleans, LA $38,200

Virginia Beach, VA $38,196

Akron, OH $38,176

Peoria, IL $38,124

Sarasota, FL $38,116

Green Bay, WI $38,088

Baton Rouge, LA $38,068

Charleston, SC $38,060

Nashville, TN $38,047

Jamestown, NY $38,039

Davenport, IA $38,039

Tucson, AZ $38,019

Cheyenne, WY $38,007

Saint Petersburg, FL $37,995

Tampa, FL $37,987

Omaha, NE $37,979

Evansville, IN $37,963

Port Arthur, TX $37,963

Bradenton, FL $37,947

Santa Fe, NM $37,875

Orlando, FL $37,835

Clearwater, FL $37,791

La Crosse, WI $37,707

Canton, OH $37,707

Grand Forks, ND $37,695

Tulsa, OK $37,683

Albuquerque, NM $37,683

Newport News, VA $37,679

High Point, NC $37,667

Ogden, UT $37,651

Corpus Christi, TX $37,619

Laramie, WY $37,595

Norfolk, VA $37,595

Rock Island, IL $37,571

Saginaw, MI $37,563

Jacksonville, FL $37,559

Salisbury, NC $37,550

Memphis, TN $37,542

Moline, IL $37,522

Fort Myers, FL $37,510

Waterloo, IA $37,458

Spartanburg, SC $37,418

Lincoln, NE $37,398

Fort Wayne, IN $37,390

Birmingham, AL $37,346

Cedar Falls, IA $37,338

Provo, UT $37,334

Springfield, OH $37,330

San Antonio, TX $37,322

Greensboro, NC $37,306

South Bend, IN $37,302

Winston Salem, NC $37,298

Boise, ID $37,286

Savannah, GA $37,258

Muskegon, MI $37,186

Lima, OH $37,138

Lake Charles, LA $37,122

Anderson, IN $37,114

Lexington, KY $37,102

Augusta, GA $37,090

Greenville, SC $37,090

Wichita, KS $37,054

Tuscaloosa, AL $37,054

Columbia, SC $37,017

Bloomington, IN $36,917

Roanoke, VA $36,893

Asheville, NC $36,841

Knoxville, TN $36,773

Shreveport, LA $36,769

Wilmington, NC $36,717

Frankfort, KY $36,641

Oklahoma City, OK $36,613

Chillicothe, OH $36,597

Longview, TX $36,593

Topeka, KS $36,581

Mobile, AL $36,520

Terre Haute, IN $36,504

Erie, PA $36,500

Altoona, PA $36,480

Melbourne, FL $36,468

Amarillo, TX $36,452

Killeen, TX $36,440

Fayetteville, AR $36,408

Sioux Falls, SD $36,380

Chattanooga, TN $36,356

Idaho Falls, ID $36,352

Gainesville, FL $36,268

Portsmouth, OH $36,248

Little Rock, AR $36,240

Lynchburg, VA $36,240

Youngstown, OH $36,224

Lafayette, LA $36,224

Temple, TX $36,208

Daytona Beach, FL $36,200

Clarksville, TN $36,196

Pensacola, FL $36,192

Hopkinsville, KY $36,072

Charleston, WV $36,068

Florence, SC $36,048

Sioux City, IA $36,023

Macon, GA $35,907

Tallahassee, FL $35,903

Fayetteville, NC $35,895

Wichita Falls, TX $35,887

Waco, TX $35,887

Pine Bluff, AR $35,871

Vincennes, IN $35,795

Lubbock, TX $35,779

Great Falls, MT $35,755

Alamogordo, NM $35,751

Abilene, TX $35,719

Rapid City, SD $35,667

Monroe, LA $35,667

Albany, GA $35,643

Huntington, WV $35,639

Jackson, MS $35,635

Greenville, MS $35,631

Parkersburg, WV $35,591

Montgomery, AL $35,583

Johnstown, PA $35,575

Springfield, MO $35,543

Biloxi, MS $35,522

Sumter, SC $35,438

Columbus, GA $35,434

Twin Falls, ID $35,410

Pascagoula, MS $35,358

Kingsport, TN $35,254

Gulfport, MS $35,242

Alexandria, LA $35,110

Fort Smith, AR $35,009

El Paso, TX $34,901

Helena, MT $34,849

Las Cruces, NM $34,721

Harlingen, TX $34,609

Pocatello, ID $34,573

Florence, AL $34,561

Brownsville, TX $34,553

Dothan, AL $34,488

Mcallen, TX $34,468

Columbus, MS $34,172

Altus, OK $33,987

Lawton, OK $33,911

Pierre, SD $33,767

What Skills Can Increase a Claims Handler's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Customer Service (Mentioned in 13.26% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Financial Services (Mentioned in 3.37% Job Postings): A services provided by the finance industry, which encompasses a broad range of businesses that manage money. These services involve banking, brokerage, mortgages, credit cards, payment services, real estate, investment funds, taxes and accounting.
Security Clearance (Mentioned in 1.85% Job Postings): A security clearance is a status granted to individuals allowing them access to classified information or to restricted areas, after completion of a thorough background check.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Customer Service	13.26%
Financial Services	3.37%
Security Clearance	1.85%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Claims Handler's salary.

Mediation: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
Decision Making: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
Negotiating: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Mediation	$47,695	19%
Decision Making	$45,691	14%
Negotiating	$44,488	11%
Subrogation	$44,087	10%
Underwriting	$44,087	10%
Claim Handling	$44,087	10%

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How Education impacts a Claims Handler's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Claims Handlers enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Claims Handler with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $39,030 and $41,411).

Claims Handler Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Claims Handler

No Diploma 1.9%

High School 45.8%

Associates 17.6%

Bachelors 31.5%

Masters 2.8%

Doctorate 0.5%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	1.9%
High School	45.8%
Associates	17.6%
Bachelors	31.5%
Masters	2.8%
Doctorate	0.5%

view as graph

Claims Handler Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Claims Handler's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 18, 2021

$37,167

Average $40,080/year

$44,186

$3,097

Average $3,340/month

$3,682

$715

Average $771/week

$850

$18

Average $19/hour

$21

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$44,186	$3,682	$850	$21
Average	$40,080	$3,340	$771	$19
25th Percentile	$37,167	$3,097	$715	$18

Salaries of jobs related to Claims Handler

Salary Trends for Claims Handler

Salaries for a Claims Handler can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $43,799 in 2023 to around $43,392 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Claims Handler salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Claims Handler Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$43,799

2024

$43,901

2025

$43,392

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$43,799
2024	$43,901
2025	$43,392
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Claims Handler

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