Life Insurance Agent Education Requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a life insurance agent. Life insurance agents usually study business, psychology, or insurance. 53% of life insurance agents hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 6,949 real life insurance agent resumes to see exactly what life insurance agent education sections show.

The most common colleges for life insurance agents are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online life insurance agent courses to help get the education required to be a life insurance agent.

There are certain life insurance agent certifications that you should consider. These life insurance agent certifications include Certified Professional, Life and Health Insurance Program (CPLHI) and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).

What education do you need to become a life insurance agent?

What degree do you need to be a life insurance agent?

The most common degree for life insurance agents is bachelor's degree, with 53% of life insurance agents earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 20% and associate degree degree at 13%.
  • Bachelor's, 53%
  • Associate, 20%
  • High School Diploma, 13%
  • Master's, 6%
  • Other Degrees, 8%

What should I major in to become a life insurance agent?

You should major in business to become a life insurance agent. 35% of life insurance agents major in business. Other common majors for a life insurance agent include psychology and insurance.

Most common colleges for life insurance agents

Life insurance agents often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Pennsylvania State University, and California State University - San Bernardino. Here are the most common colleges for life insurance agents in the US based on their resumes.
Life Insurance Agent Common College
ascdesc
Percentages
ascdesc
University of Phoenix25.26%
Pennsylvania State University5.99%
California State University - San Bernardino5.73%
DeVry University5.47%
Ashford University4.69%

Best majors for life insurance agents

Rank
ascdesc
Major
ascdesc
Percentages
ascdesc
1Business34.8%
2Psychology6.2%
3Insurance5.7%
4Accounting5.5%
5Criminal Justice4.7%

Best colleges for life insurance agents

The best colleges for life insurance agents are University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

A life insurance agent with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for life insurance agents. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become life insurance agents.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

Website

www.upenn.edu

Address

1 College Hall, Room 100, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6303

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $91,200 per year

Net Price: $25,033 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 8.41%
SAT Average - 1492
ACT Average - 34
Most Popular Majors
Finance
Business
Nursing
Political Science
Health Care Administration

2. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

Website

www.bu.edu

Address

One Silber Way, 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02215

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $52,800 per year

Net Price: $30,729 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 22.09%
SAT Average - 1420
ACT Average - 32
Most Popular Majors
Business
Education
Communication
Psychology
Criminal Justice

3. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-State Tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

Website

https://twin-cities.umn.edu

Address

202 Morrill Hall, 100 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0213

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $46,000 per year

Net Price: $17,479 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 51.87%
SAT Average - 1336
ACT Average - 29
Most Popular Majors
Business
Psychology
Finance
Political Science
Marketing

4. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-State Tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

Website

www.howard.edu

Address

2400 Sixth St NW, Washington, DC 20059-0001

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $39,500 per year

Net Price: $39,792 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 31.59%
SAT Average - 1210
ACT Average - 25
Most Popular Majors
Political Science
Psychology
Business
Nursing
Marketing

5. SUNY College at Oswego

Oswego, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$8,440

Enrollment

7,039

Website

https://www.oswego.edu/

Address

7060 State Route 104, Oswego, NY 13126

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $35,800 per year

Net Price: $15,575 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 53.62%
SAT Average - 1158
ACT Average - 24
Most Popular Majors
Business
Psychology
Accounting
Criminal Justice
Marketing

20 best online courses for life insurance agents

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Top 10 most affordable universities for life insurance agents

The most affordable schools for life insurance agents are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and baruch college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for life insurance agents are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for life insurance agents.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$8,306

Cost of Attendance

16,091

Website

www.farmingdale.edu/

Address

2350 Broadhollow Road, Farmingdale, NY 11735-1021

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $44,800 per year

Net Price: $9,268 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 46.07%
SAT Average - 1091
ACT Average - 22
Most Popular Majors
Business
Liberal Arts
Criminal Justice
Biology
Nursing

2. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,309

Cost of Attendance

16,714

Website

www.csub.edu

Address

9001 Stockdale Hwy, Bakersfield, CA 93311-1022

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $39,100 per year

Net Price: $5,687 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 23.02%
Most Popular Majors
Liberal Arts
Business
Education
Psychology
Criminal Justice

3. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,262

Cost of Attendance

14,046

Website

www.baruch.cuny.edu

Address

One Bernard Baruch Way, New York, NY 10010

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $47,500 per year

Net Price: $2,981 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 39.29%
SAT Average - 1305
Most Popular Majors
Finance
Accounting
Business
Psychology
Political Science

4. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$5,656

Cost of Attendance

21,623

Website

www.fsu.edu

Address

222 South Copeland Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1470

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $39,700 per year

Net Price: $10,744 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 36.78%
SAT Average - 1289
ACT Average - 28
Most Popular Majors
Psychology
Criminal Justice
Liberal Arts
Finance
Marketing

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,942

Cost of Attendance

14,469

Website

https://www.csudh.edu

Address

1000 E Victoria St, Carson, CA 90747

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $38,300 per year

Net Price: $3,891 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 63.94%
Most Popular Majors
Business
Education
Psychology
Liberal Arts
Criminal Justice

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for life insurance agents

The hardest universities for life insurance agents to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for life insurance agents are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for life insurance agents based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions Rate

8%

SAT Average

1,492

Website

www.upenn.edu

Address

1 College Hall, Room 100, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6303

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $91,200 per year

Net Price: $25,033 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 8.41%
SAT Average - 1492
ACT Average - 34
Most Popular Majors
Finance
Business
Nursing
Political Science
Health Care Administration

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

4%

SAT Average

1,497

Website

www.stanford.edu/

Address

450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305-2061

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $92,800 per year

Net Price: $12,265 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 4.36%
SAT Average - 1497
ACT Average - 34
Most Popular Majors
Computer Science
Business
Biology
Education
Economics

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions Rate

8%

SAT Average

1,508

Website

www.northwestern.edu

Address

633 Clark St, Evanston, IL 60208

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $71,900 per year

Net Price: $24,840 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 8.47%
SAT Average - 1508
ACT Average - 34
Most Popular Majors
Business
Liberal Arts
Communication
Psychology
Education

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

22%

SAT Average

1,420

Website

www.bu.edu

Address

One Silber Way, 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02215

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $52,800 per year

Net Price: $30,729 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 22.09%
SAT Average - 1420
ACT Average - 32
Most Popular Majors
Business
Education
Communication
Psychology
Criminal Justice

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions Rate

20%

SAT Average

1,419

Website

www.nyu.edu

Address

70 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012-1091

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $55,900 per year

Net Price: $42,397 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 19.99%
SAT Average - 1419
ACT Average - 32
Most Popular Majors
Liberal Arts
Business
Education
Nursing
Psychology

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for life insurance agents

The easiest schools for life insurance agents to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame de namur university, and holy names university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a life insurance agent without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for life insurance agents.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions Rate

68%

SAT Average

964

Website

www.okwu.edu

Address

2201 Silver Lake Rd, Bartlesville, OK 74006-6299

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $50,500 per year

Net Price: $26,279 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 67.73%
SAT Average - 964
ACT Average - 19
Most Popular Majors
Nursing
Liberal Arts
Education
Psychology
Biology

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

82%

SAT Average

983

Website

www.ndnu.edu

Address

1500 Ralston Ave, Belmont, CA 94002-1908

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $49,000 per year

Net Price: $25,610 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 81.52%
SAT Average - 983
ACT Average - 19
Most Popular Majors
Business
Education
Biology
Psychology
Liberal Arts

3. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

70%

SAT Average

849

Website

www.hnu.edu

Address

3500 Mountain Blvd, Oakland, CA 94619-1699

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $49,000 per year

Net Price: $23,175 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 70.04%
SAT Average - 849
ACT Average - 20
Most Popular Majors
Education
Business
Psychology
Nursing
Liberal Arts

4. University of Houston - Downtown

Houston, TX • Private

Admissions Rate

83%

SAT Average

1,012

Website

www.uhd.edu

Address

1 Main St, Houston, TX 77002-1014

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $42,500 per year

Net Price: $7,789 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 83.17%
SAT Average - 1012
ACT Average - 19
Most Popular Majors
Business
Criminal Justice
Accounting
Psychology
Finance

5. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions Rate

90%

SAT Average

994

Website

www.notredamecollege.edu

Address

4545 College Rd, Cleveland, OH 44121-4293

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $37,000 per year

Net Price: $21,651 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 89.65%
SAT Average - 994
ACT Average - 19
Most Popular Majors
Education
Nursing
Business
Psychology
Criminal Justice

Average life insurance agent salary by education level

Life insurance agents with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $71,424 annually. With a Master's degree, life insurance agents earn a median annual income of $71,265 compared to $66,575 for life insurance agents with an Doctorate degree.
Life Insurance Agent education level
ascdesc
Life Insurance Agent salary
ascdesc
Master's Degree$71,265
High School Diploma or Less$57,744
Bachelor's Degree$71,424
Doctorate Degree$66,575
Some College/ Associate Degree$57,531

Life Insurance Agent Education FAQs

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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.