What type of appraiser makes the most money?

Certified General appraisers earn the most, because the credential permits appraising all property types, including higher-fee commercial and complex assignments. Federal wage data is not broken out by credential level; the occupation-wide median was $67,960 in May 2025, with finance and insurance paying an industry median of $83,630. Private industry surveys consistently place certified general income at the top of the license-level range, well above certified residential appraisers.

Commercial appraisers, who must hold the Certified General credential, generally earn the most, because commercial assignments carry higher fees than residential work. Income also tends to rise as an appraiser moves up from Trainee to Licensed and then to a certified classification. Reported salaries for Alabama appraisers vary widely by source and specialty.

Commercial appraisers generally earn the most. They hold the Certified General credential, which in Arizona qualifies them to appraise all types of real property, including income-producing commercial assets that command higher fees than typical residential work. Salary listings for the state show commercial specialists out-earning residential appraisers by a wide margin.

Certified General appraisers earn the most of the four credential levels, on average, followed by Certified Residential, then State Licensed, and trainee appraisers. Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median annual wage of $67,960 for property appraisers and assessors in May 2025, with the highest-paid earning more than $122,660. Higher pay tracks stricter entry requirements: the Certified General credential requires a bachelor's degree and 3,000 hours of experience, including 1,500 hours of nonresidential work.

Certified General appraisers typically earn the most of the three credential levels. They can appraise all types of real property, including commercial and income-producing work that generally pays more than residential assignments. Industry salary surveys place certified general income well above the Certified Residential and Licensed Appraiser levels.

Nationally, property appraisers and assessors earned a median wage of $67,960 in May 2025, with the highest 10% earning more than $122,660. Certified General appraisers, who can appraise all types of real estate including commercial property, generally command the highest earnings; Certified Residential appraisers may appraise residential properties regardless of transaction value, but not commercial ones.

Appraisers working in finance and insurance earn the most among the industries the Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks: the median there was $83,630 in May 2025, compared with $64,370 in local government and $62,420 in real estate. The median across all property appraisers and assessors was $67,960 per year, and the highest 10% of earners made over $122,660. Independent fee appraisers are paid per appraisal, so their earnings vary significantly.

Certified General appraisers generally earn the most among Florida's appraiser credentials. They are the only credential qualified to appraise any type of real property, including commercial and other non-residential assignments that pay more than residential work. Earnings still vary with property type, market, and assignment volume.

Commercial real estate appraisers generally earn the most, and their work most closely matches the Certified General classification, which covers all real property. In Georgia, commercial appraisers typically out-earn residential appraisers, though pay varies widely with fee volume, market activity, and whether the appraiser works independently or for a firm. Earning Certified General requires a Bachelor's degree and 3,000 hours of experience, at least half in non-residential work.

Certified general appraisers earn the most of the four credential levels, followed by certified residential, state licensed, and trainee appraisers in descending order. The certified general credential authorizes appraisals of all real property types, including commercial and industrial work, which carries the highest pay. Nationally, the median annual wage for property appraisers and assessors was $67,960 in May 2025, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Certified General appraisers typically earn the most among the four credential levels, because their license covers all types of real property. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $67,960 for property appraisers and assessors as of May 2025, and earnings at the top of the occupation run well above that median.

Certified General appraisers, who value commercial and other non-residential property, generally earn the most. In published market data the commercial pay range extends higher than residential pay, and the credential demands more: 300 hours of qualifying education, a bachelor's degree, and 3,000 hours of qualifying experience including 1,500 non-residential hours.

In Kansas, commercial appraisers typically earn the most. Appraisers who hold the Certified General credential, which covers commercial and other nonresidential property, generally out-earn residential appraisers, whose pay spans a wide range depending on workload, experience, and market area. The Certified General credential also carries the highest entry requirements: 300 education hours, a bachelor's degree, and 3,000 experience hours including at least 1,500 nonresidential hours.

By industry, appraisers working in finance and insurance earn the most: their median annual wage was $83,630 in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, compared with $64,370 in local government and $62,420 in real estate. The national median for all property appraisers and assessors was $67,960, and the highest 10% earned more than $122,660.

Commercial appraisers, who hold the Certified General credential, generally have the highest earning ceiling. The Certified General credential covers all types of real property without regard to value, which broadens the assignments available and supports higher fees on complex work. Commercial appraisal income in Louisiana shows the widest range of the credential levels, though pay varies with market, client base, and experience.

By industry, property appraisers in finance and insurance earn the most: a median of $83,630 per year as of May 2025, compared with $64,370 in local government and $62,420 in real estate, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Across all property appraisers and assessors, the median annual wage was $67,960, and the highest-paid earned more than $122,660. Credential level also shapes earning capacity, since only a Certified General appraiser may appraise real property of any type or value.

Certified General appraisers typically earn the most, because their credential covers all real property, including commercial and non-residential work, which pays more than residential-only practice. It also carries the highest entry bar in Mississippi: a bachelor's degree, 300 hours of qualifying education, and 3,000 hours of experience in no fewer than 18 months, including 1,500 hours in non-residential work.

Certified General appraisers earn the most, on average, of the federally recognized credential levels, followed by Certified Residential, then Licensed Residential; trainees earn the least. Income tends to rise with each credential because higher levels permit more complex assignments.

Certified General appraisers generally earn the most. Their scope covers all types of real property with any transaction value, while the Licensed Appraiser level is limited to non-complex 1-4 unit residential properties under $1,000,000 and complex ones under $400,000. Commercial pay ranges in Montana also run higher than residential ranges, consistent with that broader scope.

Certified General appraisers typically earn the most, because their credential covers all real property, including commercial and income-producing work. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data (May 2025) show a national median of $67,960 for appraisers and assessors, with a 90th percentile of $122,660. Income generally rises from trainee to Licensed, Certified Residential, and Certified General, since higher credentials allow more complex and higher-value assignments.

Earnings rise with the credential level. The National Association of Realtors puts trainee earnings at $1,000 to $3,000 per month, while Certified Residential appraisers earn $70,000 to $200,000 and Certified General appraisers earn $81,000 to $147,000, so the top of the market sits with the certified levels even though those ranges overlap. For context, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median wage of $67,960 for property appraisers and assessors in May 2025.

Certified General appraisers generally earn the most. That credential covers all types of real property, including commercial and industrial work that no other New York credential allows. Pay within commercial appraisal varies widely by market and experience.

Certified General appraisers generally earn the most among the four credential levels issued in North Carolina. That is the level that covers commercial and other non-residential work. Earnings still vary with market, hours, and assignment volume.

Certified general appraisers typically earn the most, and appraisal income generally rises with credential level. The National Association of Realtors reports that certified residential appraisers earn $70,000 to $200,000 per year and certified general appraisers $81,000 to $147,000, while trainees typically earn $1,000 to $3,000 monthly during the supervised experience period. NAR's overall median for real estate appraisers was $102,200 in 2022.

Certified General appraisers have the highest earning potential, because their credential covers all types of real property at any transaction value, including commercial work. Pay varies with client base and market, and salary ranges for commercial appraisers reach higher levels than residential ranges. The higher pay reflects the 300 hours of qualifying education, the bachelor's degree, and the 3,000 hours of experience the Certified General credential requires.

Certified General appraisers make the most. That credential authorizes appraisals of all types of real property with any transaction value, which supports higher fees than the residential-only levels. Salary data rank the levels in order: Certified General first, then Certified Residential, then Licensed Residential, with trainees earning the least. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median annual wage of $67,960 for property appraisers and assessors in May 2025, with the top 10% earning more than $122,660.

Certified General appraisers earn the most, on average, of the four appraisal credentials. Average income rises at each credential level (trainee, Licensed, Certified Residential, Certified General), and the Certified General level, which covers commercial and other nonresidential property, sits at the top.

By industry, appraisers in finance and insurance earn the most: a median of $83,630 in May 2025, versus $64,370 in local government and $62,420 in real estate. The overall median wage for property appraisers and assessors was $67,960. Commercial appraisal work, which requires the Certified General credential, carries the highest earning potential, with experienced commercial appraisers reporting six-figure annual revenue.

Certified General appraisers earn the most on average, and income generally rises with each credential level, from trainee up through Certified General. That credential also carries the broadest scope: Certified General appraisers may appraise all real property types with no transaction-value limit, which opens commercial and other high-value assignments. Individual earnings still vary with assignment volume and market activity.

Certified General Appraisers generally earn the most, because that credential covers all property types, including higher-fee commercial work. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a May 2025 median wage of $67,960 for property appraisers and assessors, with the top 10% earning more than $122,660. Texas income estimates for 2026 place Certified General appraisers above the Certified Residential and Licensed Residential levels.

Appraisers in finance and insurance earn the most by industry: a median of $83,630 per year in May 2025, versus $64,370 in local government and $62,420 in real estate, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Across all property appraisers and assessors, the median annual wage was $67,960 ($32.67 per hour).

Appraisers working in finance and insurance earn the most by industry, with a median annual wage of $83,630, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2025. That compares with $64,370 in local government and $62,420 in real estate. The overall median for property appraisers and assessors was $67,960.

The Certified General credential is generally the highest-paid path, because it is the only credential that authorizes commercial and income-producing property work, where top-end pay exceeds residential ranges. It also carries the steepest requirements: 300 hours of qualifying education, a bachelor's degree, and 3,000 hours of experience in no fewer than 18 months, including at least 1,500 hours of nonresidential work demonstrating the income approach. Salary figures for Virginia appraisers vary widely by source.

Certified general appraisers earn the most on average, because their credential covers all property types, including commercial and other nonresidential work. Average income rises with each credential level, from apprentice up through licensed residential and certified residential. In West Virginia, certified general requires 300 hours of qualifying education, a bachelor's degree, and 3,000 hours of experience, including 1,500 hours in nonresidential assignments.

Federal wage data do not break out pay by appraisal credential level, but industry figures show where pay runs highest. Property appraisers and assessors in finance and insurance earned a median of $83,630 in May 2025, the highest of the reported industries, compared with $64,370 in local government and $62,420 in real estate, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures. The occupation-wide median was $67,960, with top earners above $122,660.