Careers and employment
The insurance industry is a major U.S. employer, providing some 3.0 million jobs in 2024 that encompass a wide variety of careers, from human resource administrators to public relations managers to financial analysts. Some jobs, such as claims adjusters, actuaries and insurance underwriters, are unique to the insurance industry. For information about the many career opportunities in the insurance industry consult the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Career Guide to Industries.
Employment In Insurance, 2016-2025
|
Insurance carriers |
Insurance agencies, brokerages and related services |
|
|
Direct insurers (1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Year |
Life and
health (2) |
Property/
casualty |
Reinsurers |
Total |
Insurance
agencies
and brokers |
Other
insurance-
related
activities (3) |
Total |
Total
industry |
| 2016 |
818.9 |
643.5 |
25.3 |
1,487.7 |
783.5 |
321.5 |
1,105.0 |
2,592.7 |
| 2017 |
850.4 |
639.7 |
26.6 |
1,516.7 |
809.6 |
333.3 |
1,142.9 |
2,659.6 |
| 2018 |
882.8 |
629.5 |
28.6 |
1,540.9 |
825.6 |
346.2 |
1,171.8 |
2,712.7 |
| 2019 |
931.2 |
650.3 |
28.6 |
1,610.1 |
842.8 |
349.5 |
1,192.2 |
2,802.3 |
| 2020 |
945.6 |
653.9 |
27.6 |
1,627.1 |
856.5 |
352.3 |
1,208.8 |
2,835.9 |
| 2021 |
908.7 |
646.9 |
28.1 |
1,583.7 |
886.6 |
354.5 |
1,241.2 |
2,824.9 |
| 2022 |
900.9 |
684.9 |
30.2 |
1,616.0 |
934.8 |
367.2 |
1,302.0 |
2,918.0 |
| 2023 |
907.9 |
679.7 |
30.8 |
1,618.4 |
966.6 |
384.3 |
1,351.0 |
2,969.3 |
| 2024 |
903.7 |
682.9 |
31.0 |
1,617.6 |
996.1 |
385.7 |
1,381.7 |
2,999.3 |
| 2025 (4) |
888.3 |
699.3 |
30.4 |
1,618.0 |
1,003.0 |
392.4 |
1,395.3 |
3,013.3 |
(1) Establishments primarily engaged in initially underwriting insurance policies.
(2) Includes establishments engaged in underwriting annuities, life insurance and health and medical insurance policies.
(3) Includes claims adjusters, third-party administrators of insurance funds and other service personnel such as advisory and insurance ratemaking services.
(4) Preliminary.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Insurance compared with other industries
The insurance industry employed 3.0 million people in 2025, accounting for about 32.7 percent of the workforce in the U.S. financial activities sector, according to the Current Population Survey from the U.S. Department of Labor.
Employment by Industry, 2024
| Industry |
Employees (000s) |
| Total, all industries |
161,346 |
| Agriculture |
3,386 |
| Mining and logging |
626.3 |
| Construction |
8,211 |
| Manufacturing |
12,817 |
| Wholesale and retail trade |
21,677 |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities |
7,787 |
| Information |
2,943 |
| Financial activities |
9,169 |
| Insurance carriers and related activities |
3,001 |
| Professional and business services |
22,620 |
| Education and health services |
37,232 |
| Leisure and hospitality |
16,818 |
| Public administration |
6,122 |
| Other government services |
5,971 |
| Other private services |
5,966 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey (CPS).
