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The differences between mortgage originators 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 $31,380 average annual salary of a mortgage originator.
The top three skills for a mortgage originator include customer service, origination and bank products. The most important skills for an underwriter are customer service, investor guidelines, and mortgage loans.
| Mortgage Originator | Underwriter | |
| Yearly salary | $31,380 | $61,751 |
| Hourly rate | $15.09 | $29.69 |
| Growth rate | 4% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 11,164 | 8,510 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
A Mortgage Originator is someone who will work with a borrower to process and complete a home loan application. They work closely with loan processors and underwriters to collect the required documentation until it is approved. Mortgage Origniators are responsible for guiding clients through the approval stage by assisting them with the paperwork, determining the loan amount, and taking and verifying documentation. They guide borrowers in deciding which mortgage type is right for them.
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.
Mortgage originators and underwriters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mortgage Originator | Underwriter | |
| Average salary | $31,380 | $61,751 |
| Salary range | Between $16,000 And $57,000 | Between $39,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | - | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | - | |
| Best paying industry | - | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a mortgage originator and an underwriter in terms of educational background:
| Mortgage Originator | Underwriter | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between mortgage originators' and underwriters' demographics:
| Mortgage Originator | Underwriter | |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 56.2% Female, 43.8% | Male, 38.4% Female, 61.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 6.1% White, 63.5% 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 Percentage | 8% | 9% |