Underwriter vs Data Analyst Salary
Underwriters earn approximately 1.2% more than Data Analysts nationally — $85,000 vs $84,000.
Underwriter vs Data Analyst: salary breakdown
On a national-median basis, Underwriters out-earn Data Analysts by $1,000 per year — a 1.2% gap. That works out to roughly $83/month or $0/hour of difference.
Important context: these are MEDIANS — the middle salary in the country. Real-world variation is wide: entry-level roles in either career may pay 25-35% below median, while senior roles or specialized niches can pay 50-100%+ above. Your specific numbers depend on experience, location, employer, and credentials.
When does the salary gap matter most?
For someone choosing between these careers, the $1,000 annual difference compounds:
- Over 10 years: ~$10,000 in raw salary difference
- Over 40 years: ~$40,000 (without raises or compounding)
- With 3% annual raises: the gap typically grows because the higher-paid role's raises are also larger in dollar terms
- With investment compounding: the $1,000/year extra invested at 7% over 40 years grows to roughly $199,000 — significantly more than the raw difference
But salary isn't everything. Job satisfaction, work-life balance, growth potential, and career switching costs all matter. A career you can sustain for decades beats a higher-paying one you'll burn out on.
By state and city — significant variation
National medians are starting points. Real salaries vary 30%+ by location:
- Underwriter in California ≈ $100,300 (1.18× national)
- Underwriter in Mississippi ≈ $71,400 (0.84× national)
- Data Analyst in California ≈ $99,120
- Data Analyst in Mississippi ≈ $70,560
Use our Underwriter salary by state pages to drill into specific locations.
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