How to hire an appraiser

How to hire an appraiser, step by step

Here's a step-by-step appraiser hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an appraiser job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new appraiser
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an appraiser do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an appraiser, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an appraiser to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an appraiser that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of appraisers.

   Type of Appraiser	Description	Hourly rate
   Appraiser	Appraisers and assessors of real estate provide an estimate of the value of land and the buildings on the land usually before it is sold, mortgaged, taxed, insured, or developed.	$13-28
   Claims Analyst	A claims analyst specializes in processing medical insurance claims. They are primarily responsible for verifying the authenticity and eligibility of claims, analyzing the billing, communicating with policyholders, and ensuring adherence to all the policies and regulations during the entire procedure... Show more	$13-37
   Claims Representative	A Claims Representative is an agent who works for insurance companies in order to investigate and settle claims. The agent acts as an intermediary between customers and insurance companies by evaluating the customers' facts surrounding claims and determining whether the loss is covered or should be compensated... Show more	$13-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Commercial Property
   • Appraisal Reports
   • Customer Service
   • MAI
   • Discounted Cash Flow
   • Market Research
   • Appeals
   • Real Property
   • Repair Facilities
   • USPAP
   • Uniform Standards
   • Litigation
   • Calculation
   • Market Data

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Cross-Train in numerous banking/lending fields relate to real property appraisal such as underwriting, loan processing, and loan origination.
   • Experience in appraising single family residences, condominiums, raw land, develop lots, construction appraisals, and final inspections.
   • Complete commercial appraisal assignments in Illinois under a supervising MAI.
   • Prepare analysis of valuation issues for federal agency rent appeals, federal acquisitions, and litigation.
   • Provide oversight of the appraisers, to insure they are FHA approve.
   • Handle total losses by obtaining CCC reports, obtaining DMV documents and contacting lien holders.

   More appraiser duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your appraiser job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An appraiser can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, appraisers' average salary in florida is 39% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level appraisers 51% less than senior-level appraisers.
   • Certifications. An appraiser with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an appraiser's salary.

   Average appraiser salary

   $42,223yearly

   $20.30 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level appraiser salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average appraiser salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$58,914	$28
   2	Alaska	$57,274	$28
   3	New York	$51,284	$25
   4	Nevada	$49,975	$24
   5	Arizona	$49,495	$24
   6	Virginia	$48,379	$23
   7	District of Columbia	$48,004	$23
   8	Texas	$47,946	$23
   9	Pennsylvania	$47,477	$23
   10	Washington	$47,375	$23
   11	Connecticut	$46,841	$23
   12	Rhode Island	$46,318	$22
   13	Utah	$45,979	$22
   14	Massachusetts	$45,012	$22
   15	Colorado	$44,334	$21
   16	Minnesota	$44,129	$21
   17	Wyoming	$43,867	$21
   18	Georgia	$43,820	$21
   19	North Carolina	$41,025	$20
   20	Ohio	$40,446	$19

   Average appraiser salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	City National Bank	$65,368	$31.43
   2	Consultant Engineering	$52,222	$25.11
   3	Farm Bureau Insurance Michigan	$50,142	$24.11
   4	USAA	$49,532	$23.81	2
   5	The Travelers Companies	$48,999	$23.56	26
   6	United States Army Corps of Engineers	$47,926	$23.04
   7	Parker Global Strategies	$47,830	$23.00	6
   8	Kemper	$47,648	$22.91	1
   9	Mercury Insurance	$47,564	$22.87	2
   10	CB Richard Ellis Memphis LLC	$47,233	$22.71
   11	Colorado State Express	$47,233	$22.71
   12	The Independent Traveler	$47,230	$22.71	5
   13	First Western Trust	$47,152	$22.67
   14	Sentry	$47,099	$22.64	1
   15	Mayor Ethan Berkowitz	$46,864	$22.53
   16	City of El Dorado	$45,327	$21.79
   17	Minnesota Limited	$45,145	$21.70
   18	CBRE Group	$45,063	$21.66
   19	Farm Credit Mid-America	$44,731	$21.51
   20	Forsyth County	$44,718	$21.50	1

4. Writing an appraiser job description

   A good appraiser job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an appraiser job description:

   Appraiser job description example

   We are seeking a full-time Sr Certified Appraiser (with Team Lead potential) to join our AgCountry team.
   
   Team Lead provides leadership for assigned staff including performance management, identification of training needs and personal developmental plans. This role will work with our Southern Minnesota marketplace. Preferred locations are Willmar, MN or Redwood Falls, MN. Other office locations or an option for hybrid work from home available as well to the right candidate.
   
   This individual will conduct high quality real estate appraisals responsively to support client appraisal needs as regulated by state law and in compliance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), collect real estate sales information to support appraisal and asset valuation, complete complex appraisals of agricultural properties with minimal supervision and in compliance with FCA regulations, and prepare real estate value studies to support benchmark values. Successful candidates will also support outside fee appraisal services that meet state and industry standards. Membership with a nationally recognized professional appraiser's organization is required.
   
   If you are a team player; have a Bachelor’s degree in business or related field; hold a Certified General Appraiser license; have professional certified appraisal experience and skill in land, building and fixture valuation. Apply today and GROW your career with AgCountry!
   Check out these amazing benefits you’ll get as an AgCountry employee:
   * Family friendly work environment
   * A company focus on employee development, career growth, and education
   * New employees start with 3 weeks of vacation per year (increases over time)
   * All employees earn 15 days of sick leave per year
   * Time off also includes 12.5 paid company holidays
   * We’re proud of our industry leading 401k employer contribution up to 9% (3% fixed, 6% matching)
   * 4 weeks paid FMLA leave (includes parental leave)
   * Annual bonus pay opportunity
   * Company paid disability and life insurance
   * Paid volunteer time
   * Employer paid logo clothing program
   * Fitness reimbursement
   * Employee wellness programs Closing Date: October 30, 2022, 7 PM CT Click apply for all the details to be considered. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
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   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right appraiser for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   To find appraiser candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting appraisers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new appraiser

   Once you've selected the best appraiser candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an appraiser?