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Underwriter vs senior underwriter

The differences between underwriters and senior underwriters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a senior underwriter has an average salary of $69,375, which is higher than the $61,751 average annual salary of an underwriter.

The top three skills for an underwriter include customer service, investor guidelines and mortgage loans. The most important skills for a senior underwriter are customer service, portfolio, and underwriting guidelines.

Underwriter vs senior underwriter overview

UnderwriterSenior Underwriter
Yearly salary$61,751$69,375
Hourly rate$29.69$33.35
Growth rate-4%-4%
Number of jobs8,5106,726
Job satisfaction3-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age4444
Years of experience--

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.

What does a senior underwriter do?

A senior underwriter is responsible for evaluating the eligibility of an applicant for loan application processing. Senior underwriters verify the applicant's information, including their credit score and other valid documents, ensuring that the applicant fulfills the loan application's parameters. They check the applicant's portfolios and provide them the next necessary steps and the alternatives for loan types. A senior underwriter must have excellent knowledge of the loan processes and underwriting procedures to analyze applications and make accurate decisions.

Underwriter vs senior underwriter salary

Underwriters and senior underwriters have different pay scales, as shown below.

UnderwriterSenior Underwriter
Average salary$61,751$69,375
Salary rangeBetween $39,000 And $96,000Between $44,000 And $108,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MANew York, NY
Highest paying stateMassachusettsNew York
Best paying companyGoogleCapital Group
Best paying industryManufacturingInsurance

Differences between underwriter and senior underwriter education

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

UnderwriterSenior Underwriter
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Underwriter vs senior underwriter demographics

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

UnderwriterSenior Underwriter
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 38.4% Female, 61.6%Male, 42.0% Female, 58.0%
Race ratioBlack 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%Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 2.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 5.6% White, 72.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between underwriter and senior underwriter duties and responsibilities

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

Senior underwriter example responsibilities.

  • Manage AUS findings and analyze approvals and results accordingly.
  • Perform underwriter approval/declines on FHA, VA, FmHA and conventional loan applications providing financing for one-to-four family residential properties.
  • Fix and n variable annuities.
  • Check for the accuracy and proper recording of UCC filings and mortgages.
  • Order and review flood searches, title reports, UCC searches, appraisals, insurance policies and binders, and contracts.
  • Review preliminary HUD-1 for accuracy.
  • Show more

Underwriter vs senior underwriter skills

Common underwriter skills
  • Customer Service, 11%
  • Investor Guidelines, 6%
  • Mortgage Loans, 5%
  • Underwriting Guidelines, 5%
  • Financial Statements, 4%
  • FHA, 3%
Common senior underwriter skills
  • Customer Service, 11%
  • Portfolio, 8%
  • Underwriting Guidelines, 5%
  • Strong Analytical, 4%
  • SR, 4%
  • Excellent Interpersonal, 4%

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