What is an appraiser and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
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An appraiser specializes in a certain type of property. Your job includes engaging in researching the property market in a local area, examining key features of a property, and evaluating properties to establish their market value.

As an appraiser, staying up-to-date on properties with best practices regulations, producing a written report to better explain decisions and assessment results are all part of your jurisdiction. Site visiting mainly to inspect properties, interview clients, examine all variables to ensure they are in good condition is what you must do. As an appraiser examining and assessing property, you must take photographs of both the interior and exterior of the building and pay attention to the features that might destroy the entire property.

In real estate involvement, you are expected to verify legal documents of public records and maintain the value data to compare new properties to others in the market. Basic skill requirements necessary include communication skills, analytical and critical thinking, mathematics, excellent customer service skills, time management, and organizational skills. The average salary of an appraiser is $97,000 annually, and the educational requirement is a bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics or, other related fields.

ScoreAppraiserUS Average
Salary
3.3

Avg. Salary $42,223

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
5.0

Growth Rate 7%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.43%

Asian 2.87%

Black or African American 4.58%

Hispanic or Latino 6.77%

Unknown 3.87%

White 81.46%

Gender

female 32.15%

male 67.85%

Age - 51
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 51
Stress Level
5.0

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
7.5

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
2.1

Work Life balance is very poor

6.4 - fair

Appraiser career paths

Key steps to become an appraiser

  1. Explore appraiser education requirements

    Most common appraiser degrees

    Bachelor's

    62.3 %

    Associate

    16.8 %

    High School Diploma

    7.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific appraiser skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Commercial Property12.92%
    Appraisal Reports11.82%
    Customer Service7.18%
    MAI6.18%
    Discounted Cash Flow4.55%
  3. Complete relevant appraiser training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 2-4 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New appraisers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an appraiser based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real appraiser resumes.
  4. Obtain the necessary licensing

    Becoming an licensed appraiser usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed appraiser in most of states. 43 states require appraisers to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.
    State
    ascdesc
    Education
    ascdesc
    Exam
    ascdesc
    License Url
    ascdesc
    AlabamaDegree requiredState exam requiredLicensed Real Property Appraiser
    MarylandDegree requiredState exam requiredREAL ESTATE BROKER
    Alaska--Real Estate Broker
    CaliforniaDegree requiredState exam requiredReal Estate Broker License
    ColoradoSpecific course requiredState exam requiredReal Estate Broker License
  5. Research appraiser duties and responsibilities

    • Cross-Train in numerous banking/lending fields relate to real property appraisal such as underwriting, loan processing, and loan origination.
    • Experience in appraising single family residences, condominiums, raw land, develop lots, construction appraisals, and final inspections.
    • Complete commercial appraisal assignments in Illinois under a supervising MAI.
    • Prepare analysis of valuation issues for federal agency rent appeals, federal acquisitions, and litigation.
  6. Prepare your appraiser resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your appraiser resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an appraiser resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Appraiser Resume templates

    Build a professional Appraiser resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Appraiser resume.
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  7. Apply for appraiser jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an appraiser job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Appraiser Job

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Average appraiser salary

The average Appraiser salary in the United States is $42,223 per year or $20 per hour. Appraiser salaries range between $29,000 and $59,000 per year.

Average Appraiser Salary
$42,223 Yearly
$20.30 hourly

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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019
Pros

Meeting customers, driving to different areas. Taking pictures of houses and measuring them

Cons

Weather


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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