Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers salary in the U.S.
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers in the U.S. earn a median of $58,650 a year ($28.20 an hour), based on BLS data for 48,580 workers.
Pay ranges from $38,170 for the lowest-paid 10% to $90,830 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $62,350, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,170 | $18.35 |
| 25th percentile | $47,420 | $22.80 |
| Median | $58,650 | $28.20 |
| 75th percentile | $74,810 | $35.97 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $90,830 | $43.67 |
| Average (mean) | $62,350 | $29.97 |
Half of title examiners, abstractors, and searchers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $4,887.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,443.75 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,255.77 |
| Weekly | $1,127.88 |
| Hourly | $28.20 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $58,650 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $77,600 | 1,400 |
| West Virginia | $77,230 | 350 |
| Oregon | $76,930 | 640 |
| Alaska | $75,960 | 100 |
| Nevada | $71,050 | 620 |
| Massachusetts | $69,100 | n/a |
| California | $67,230 | n/a |
| Washington | $66,440 | 930 |
| Delaware | $65,270 | 140 |
| Rhode Island | $63,300 | 120 |
| Connecticut | $62,940 | 90 |
| Utah | $62,210 | 1,160 |
| New Hampshire | $62,090 | n/a |
| New Jersey | $61,930 | 550 |
| Idaho | $61,730 | 640 |
| New York | $61,380 | 2,130 |
| Alabama | $61,330 | n/a |
| Texas | $60,120 | 6,770 |
| North Dakota | $59,980 | 140 |
| South Dakota | $59,300 | 180 |
| Florida | $58,450 | 4,800 |
| Minnesota | $58,250 | 560 |
| New Mexico | $57,940 | 480 |
| Ohio | $56,680 | 1,860 |
| Maryland | $55,460 | 420 |
| Kansas | $54,640 | 710 |
| Virginia | $54,230 | 1,340 |
| Kentucky | $52,860 | 270 |
| Pennsylvania | $52,220 | 2,220 |
| North Carolina | $50,500 | 400 |
| Oklahoma | $50,270 | 1,500 |
| Tennessee | $50,240 | 1,160 |
| Illinois | $49,990 | 1,290 |
| Arizona | $49,580 | 1,210 |
| Michigan | $49,540 | n/a |
| Maine | $48,900 | 70 |
| Nebraska | $48,880 | 360 |
| Wyoming | $48,710 | 200 |
| Georgia | $48,320 | 660 |
| Missouri | $48,190 | 1,470 |
| Wisconsin | $48,070 | 700 |
| Arkansas | $47,510 | 650 |
| Mississippi | $47,060 | 150 |
| South Carolina | $46,740 | n/a |
| Iowa | $46,330 | 400 |
| Indiana | $46,150 | n/a |
| Puerto Rico | $44,570 | n/a |
| Louisiana | $38,470 | 390 |
Best-paying metro areas for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Midland, TX | $112,420 | 140 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $94,710 | 130 |
| Vallejo, CA | $85,950 | 40 |
| Salem, OR | $80,490 | 30 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $79,630 | 850 |
| Morgantown, WV | $79,030 | 50 |
| Charleston, WV | $78,530 | 60 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $78,400 | 270 |
| Greeley, CO | $78,070 | 40 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $77,360 | 40 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $76,970 | 310 |
| Reno, NV | $76,690 | 110 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | $76,580 | 70 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $76,460 | 350 |
| Anchorage, AK | $75,970 | 80 |
Metro areas with the most title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,140 | $61,530 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 1,830 | $61,500 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,730 | $63,470 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 1,220 | $56,880 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 1,160 | $51,030 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 940 | $49,330 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 880 | $59,340 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 860 | $56,490 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 850 | $79,630 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 810 | $56,710 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 800 | $59,320 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 690 | $63,440 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 680 | $49,040 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 610 | $60,630 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 600 | $51,690 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $62,890 | $30.24 |
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | $72,110 | $34.67 |
| Lawyer | $159,670 | $76.76 |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $153,990 | $74.03 |
| Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers | $117,860 | $56.67 |
| Judicial Law Clerk | $64,920 | $31.21 |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | $75,530 | $36.31 |
More: Legal Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 23-2093. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a title examiners, abstractors, and searchers make in the U.S.?
The median salary for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers in the U.S. is $58,650 a year, or $28.20 an hour. Pay ranges from $38,170 for the lowest-paid 10% to $90,830 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid title examiners, abstractors, and searchers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of title examiners, abstractors, and searchers in the U.S. earn at least $90,830 a year. The top 25% earn $74,810 or more.
What is the starting pay for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $38,170 a year, and a quarter of title examiners, abstractors, and searchers earn $47,420 or less.
How many title examiners, abstractors, and searchers work in the U.S.?
About 48,580 title examiners, abstractors, and searchers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.