Insurance Sales Agents pay range in Columbia
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,710 a year or less, while the top 10% make $174,630 or more. The middle half of insurance sales agents in Columbia earn between $47,330 and $103,520.
- $36K10th
- $47K25th
- $74KMedian
- $104K75th
- $175K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $88,570 | $7,381 | $42.58 |
| Median | $74,100 | $6,175 | $35.62 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $47,330 | $3,944 | $22.75 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $103,520 | $8,627 | $49.77 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Insurance Sales Agents pay in Columbia vs. South Carolina and the U.S.
Insurance sales agents in Columbia earn 12% more than the South Carolina average ($78,730) and 9% more than the U.S. average ($81,480). At the median the gap is +19% against the U.S. median of $62,280.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $88,570 | $74,100 | $35,710 | $174,630 | 1,540 |
| South Carolina | $78,730 | $61,350 | $35,140 | $154,650 | 8,220 |
| United States | $81,480 | $62,280 | $37,330 | $138,140 | 479,100 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Insurance Sales Agents salary after taxes in Columbia
On the average salary of $88,570, a single filer in Columbia takes home about $67,582 a year, or $5,632 a month and $2,599 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Columbia a good place for insurance sales agents? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Columbia area are 6% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.7), so the average $88,570 buys what about $94,563 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbia ($46,430). A typical home costs $256,154, or 2.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Insurance Sales Agents salary in other South Carolina cities
Columbia ranks 2nd of 8 South Carolina metro areas for this job; Charleston pays the most ($93,360).
- Charleston$93,360
- Columbia$88,570
- Sumter$73,940
- Florence$73,060
- Hilton Head Island$71,210
- Greenville$67,860
- Spartanburg$66,240
- Myrtle Beach$64,050
Highest-paying cities for insurance sales agents
Fond du Lac, WI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($118,600).
- Fond du Lac, WI$118,600
- San Francisco, CA$114,110
- Minneapolis, MN$111,320
- New York, NY$107,190
- Boston, MA$105,000
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Insurance Sales Agents salary in Columbia: questions
How much do insurance sales agents make an hour in Columbia?
$42.58 an hour on average, and $35.63 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level insurance sales agents salary in Columbia?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,710 a year and the 25th percentile is $47,330, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the insurance sales agents take-home pay in Columbia?
About $67,582 a year ($5,632 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $88,570.
Do insurance sales agents earn more in Columbia than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% more than the U.S. average for this job ($81,480).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 41-3021; area Columbia, SC (17900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 9.0%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.27, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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