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The differences between appraisers and auto claims adjusters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an appraiser and an auto claims adjuster. Additionally, an auto claims adjuster has an average salary of $52,621, which is higher than the $42,223 average annual salary of an appraiser.
The top three skills for an appraiser include commercial property, appraisal reports and customer service. The most important skills for an auto claims adjuster are repair process, body shop, and strong customer service.
| Appraiser | Auto Claims Adjuster | |
| Yearly salary | $42,223 | $52,621 |
| Hourly rate | $20.30 | $25.30 |
| Growth rate | 7% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 1,186 | 16,187 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 49 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An appraiser is someone who assesses the monetary value of a property such as an automobile, real property, and personal claim. His/Her or her responsibilities include resolving disparities between a property's monetary values and preparing narrative reports for projects. The essential skills that an appraiser should possess to accomplish such responsibilities include a keen eye for details, strong communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills, and the ability to work under pressure. The education requirements for the job vary depending on the area of focus.
A claims adjuster inspects insurance claim liability for property damage or personal injuries and calculates payments. They can either work in-house for insurance companies or as external freelancers. They collect gathered information from different reliable sources to determine insurance obligations based on the degree of damage caused. It is part of their responsibility to interview claimants and witnesses and refer with experts like engineers or policyholders to estimate the damage and if it's covered by insurance policies.
Appraisers and auto claims adjusters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Appraiser | Auto Claims Adjuster | |
| Average salary | $42,223 | $52,621 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $59,000 | Between $38,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Mateo, CA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | City National Bank | EMC Insurance |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Insurance |
There are a few differences between an appraiser and an auto claims adjuster in terms of educational background:
| Appraiser | Auto Claims Adjuster | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between appraisers' and auto claims adjusters' demographics:
| Appraiser | Auto Claims Adjuster | |
| Average age | 49 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.8% Female, 32.2% | Male, 52.2% Female, 47.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 6.8% Asian, 2.9% White, 81.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 10% |