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Boston Career Explorer

Business and Financial Operations

Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage

Appraise automobile or other vehicle damage to determine repair costs for insurance claim settlement. Prepare insurance forms to indicate repair cost or cost estimates and recommendations. May seek agreement with automotive repair shop on repair costs.

Also called: Appraiser, Automobile Appraiser (Auto Appraiser), Automobile Damage Appraiser (Auto Damage Appraiser), Damage Appraiser, Field Appraiser, Field Inspector

Median pay in Greater Boston
$74,760
$35.94/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
350
Massachusetts 2024–2034
−12.4%
20 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Postsecondary nondegree award
plus Moderate-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$57,910$62,810$74,760$94,530$105,720

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Evaluate practicality of repair as opposed to payment of market value of vehicle before accident.
  • Review repair cost estimates with automobile repair shop to secure agreement on cost of repairs.
  • Examine damaged vehicle to determine extent of structural, body, mechanical, electrical, or interior damage.
  • Prepare insurance forms to indicate repair cost estimates and recommendations.
  • Estimate parts and labor to repair damage, using standard automotive labor and parts cost manuals and knowledge of automotive repair.
  • Determine salvage value on total-loss vehicle.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure67 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 61
  • Language-model AIOE 61
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 80

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

Auto damage appraising has higher AI exposure, though little AI use is seen in this work so far. Software can help estimate parts and labor and fill out insurance forms. Looking over a damaged vehicle in person and working out costs with repair shops still rely on people. Massachusetts projects 12.4% fewer of these jobs by 2034.

Likely to change

  • Estimating parts and labor costs
  • Filling out repair estimate forms

Still relies on people

  • Inspecting damaged vehicles in person
  • Reaching agreement with repair shops

What federal projections say

“Productivity change - share decreases as specialized software and artificial intelligence (AI) make the appraisal process more efficient, allowing appraisers to focus on more complex claims.”
BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, factors affecting this job (U.S.)

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

    Your knowledge of vehicle damage and repair carries over. This hands-on job has long-term on-the-job training and a projected 5.1% growth.

    Pay difference
    +$1,010 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +5.1%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines

    You already know how to judge damaged parts and repairs. This job adds testing and fixing heavy equipment, with slightly higher Boston median pay.

    Pay difference
    +$2,010 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +4.9%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

    Reading repair manuals and judging what needs replacing carry over. It requires a postsecondary nondegree award, like your current job, and pays more in Boston.

    Pay difference
    +$18,520 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +6.5%
    To get started
    Postsecondary nondegree award

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

0 programs near Boston (plus 1 graduate)

No programs below a master’s degree near Boston map to this job. Tick the box above to see graduate programs.

Related occupations

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