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Junior underwriter vs underwriter

The differences between junior underwriters and underwriters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an underwriter has an average salary of $61,751, which is higher than the $51,782 average annual salary of a junior underwriter.

The top three skills for a junior underwriter include loan programs, income documentation and credit reports. The most important skills for an underwriter are customer service, investor guidelines, and mortgage loans.

Junior underwriter vs underwriter overview

Junior UnderwriterUnderwriter
Yearly salary$51,782$61,751
Hourly rate$24.90$29.69
Growth rate4%-4%
Number of jobs19,4568,510
Job satisfaction-3
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 56%Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Average age4544
Years of experience6-

What does a junior underwriter do?

Working alongside senior underwriters, a junior underwriter is in charge of performing research and analysis to determine the eligibility of clients for insurance products and services. Their responsibilities include gathering and analyzing requirements, inspecting financial histories, participating in handling underwriting conditions, and monitoring current and past loans of a client. Should there be any complicated issues and concerns, they must report to the senior underwriter right away. Furthermore, a junior underwriter must carry out tasks while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.

What does an underwriter do?

An underwriter's duties depend on the line of work or industry involved, such as mortgage companies, insurance, or lending firms. However, an Underwriter's responsibility will mainly revolve around using their extensive expertise on how a company will achieve financial gains, and assessing the possible financial risks of a client by reviewing various aspects to determine their capacity to uphold monetary obligations. Most of the time, the Underwriter's tasks will also involve evaluating a client's credit history, health, assets, overall financial history.

Junior underwriter vs underwriter salary

Junior underwriters and underwriters have different pay scales, as shown below.

Junior UnderwriterUnderwriter
Average salary$51,782$61,751
Salary rangeBetween $34,000 And $77,000Between $39,000 And $96,000
Highest paying CityHicksville, NYBoston, MA
Highest paying stateNew YorkMassachusetts
Best paying companyChubbGoogle
Best paying industryInsuranceManufacturing

Differences between junior underwriter and underwriter education

There are a few differences between a junior underwriter and an underwriter in terms of educational background:

Junior UnderwriterUnderwriter
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 56%Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Junior underwriter vs underwriter demographics

Here are the differences between junior underwriters' and underwriters' demographics:

Junior UnderwriterUnderwriter
Average age4544
Gender ratioMale, 28.7% Female, 71.3%Male, 38.4% Female, 61.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 63.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 2.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 5.6% White, 72.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage8%9%

Differences between junior underwriter and underwriter duties and responsibilities

Junior underwriter example responsibilities.

  • Manage AUS findings and analyze approvals and results accordingly.
  • Confirm documents meet requirements of FNMA, FHLMC, HUD, individual investors and other authorities.
  • Complete research need to create and clear underwriting conditions and issue clear-to-close for FNMA and FHLMC MHA loans.
  • Underwrite and process FHA, conventional conforming and conventional non-conforming mortgage loans following company, investor, and government standards.
  • Monitor compliance issues to meet DU/LP automate UW approval.
  • Submit and approve to DU/LP, verify income and assets reviewing credit for dispute resolution and debt.
  • Show more

Underwriter example responsibilities.

  • Attain Jr. underwriter status and AUS underwriting authority.
  • Manage AUS findings and analyze approvals and results accordingly.
  • Complete initial review of appraisals, borrower credit documents, and DU/LP findings according to Fannie Mae and investor guidelines.
  • Research and develop SBA program.
  • Work on project putting together HPR policy.
  • Resolve issues preventing final disposition of REO properties.
  • Show more

Junior underwriter vs underwriter skills

Common junior underwriter skills
  • Loan Programs, 16%
  • Income Documentation, 8%
  • Credit Reports, 5%
  • FHA, 5%
  • Va, 5%
  • Loan Applications, 5%
Common underwriter skills
  • Customer Service, 11%
  • Investor Guidelines, 6%
  • Mortgage Loans, 5%
  • Underwriting Guidelines, 5%
  • Financial Statements, 4%
  • FHA, 3%

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