About the Insurance Program
Tap Into a Booming Industry with a Career in Insurance
The insurance industry is a great place to start a promising career. If you thrive in team environments, are adept at solving problems and have an entrepreneurial spirit, insurance offers many benefits including hundreds of thousands of job opportunities. Our programs are designed to prepare you for positions including claims adjuster, appraiser, examiner, investigator, and underwriter, with additional options in sales, legal and even data science.
You can transfer just about any skill to a career in insurance. Many roles require strong communication, deductive reasoning skills, creativity, design and scheduling proficiencies. Outside industries that involve insurance education and training include retail, hospitality, gaming, and the public sector. Students preparing for entry-level and advanced insurance careers take courses in personal, property and liability, and commercial insurance. This career path offers you the opportunity to shape what insurance will look like for years to come.
With on-campus and fully online program options, SMC offers a format that works for you.
Find the path that fits your personal needs and professional goals:
Transfer Preparation
Many colleges and universities offer baccalaureate degrees in this field. Students planning to transfer to a four-year college or university need to know which courses completed at Santa Monica College will be accepted at the specific college/university. Please consult a Counselor. SMC has transfer articulation agreements with the many UC and CSU campuses, as well as many private and out-of-state institutions.
Degrees and Certificates
Associate in Science Degree - Insurance Professional
26-28 units + General Education Requirements
Certificate of Achievement - Insurance Professional
26-28 units
This program prepares students for highly skilled positions in the insurance industry, such as claims adjuster, examiner, investigator, salesperson, legal support worker or insurance underwriter. Course offerings include personal insurance, property and liability insurance, commercial insurance and ethics, among others.
Certificate of Achievement - Insurance Specialist
11 units
Our department certificate is a focused short-term treatment designed to expose students to the various aspects of Insurance and job opportunities.
SMC Resources
Potential Career Options
| Job Title | Typical Education | Median Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Claims Examiners, Property and Casualty Insurance | Bachelor Degree | $69,431 |
| Insurance Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | Bachelor Degree | $69,431 |
| Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage | Some College | $56,108 |
| Personal Financial Advisors | Bachelor Degree | $93,669 |
| Insurance Underwriters | Bachelor Degree | $71,573 |
| Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers | High School Diploma or More | $46,129 |
| Insurance Sales Agents | Bachelor Degree | $51,883 |
| Customer Service Representative | High School Diploma or More | $35,863 |
| Insurance Claims Clerk | High School Diploma or More | $41,256 |
| Insurance Policy Processing Clerk | High School Diploma or More | $41,256 |