Insurance Agent vs Teacher (K-12)

Side-by-side license comparison

Live DataLast updated: April 13, 2026·Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards

Quick Verdict

Higher Earning

Teacher (K-12)

Easier to Obtain

Insurance Agent

Lower Fee

Insurance Agent

Detailed Comparison

Metric	Insurance Agent	Teacher (K-12)
Category	Insurance	Education
Median Salary	$59,400	$65,090
Avg Initial Fee	$149	$199
Difficulty	Low-Medium	High
Education	Pre-licensing course (20-40 hours)	Bachelor's + Student Teaching
Exam	State Insurance Exam	Praxis or State Test
Time to License	1-3 months	4-5 years
Renewal Period	Every 2 yr	Every 5 yr
CE Hours / Cycle	24 hrs	60 hrs
States Requiring	53 of 53	53 of 53

Salary Comparison

Insurance Agent

Median Salary$59,400

Avg Salary$59,400

Avg License Fee$149

Teacher (K-12)

Median Salary$65,090

Avg Salary$65,090

Avg License Fee$199

Teacher (K-12) earns $5,690 more per year on average. Over a 10-year career span, that adds up to approximately $56,900 in additional earnings.

Explore Each Occupation

Insurance AgentView all 53 state requirements Teacher (K-12)View all 53 state requirements

📊

LicenseWize Editorial TeamData Specialists

The LicenseWize editorial team aggregates and verifies licenses data from Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.

✓ Sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards✓ Quarterly review✓ No paid placements

Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pays more: Insurance Agent or Teacher (K-12)?

Teacher (K-12) has a higher median salary at $65,090 per year, compared to $59,400 for Insurance Agent — a difference of $5,690 annually.

Is it harder to get licensed as a Insurance Agent or a Teacher (K-12)?

Insurance Agent licensing is rated Low-Medium difficulty, while Teacher (K-12) is rated High. Insurance Agent requires Pre-licensing course (20-40 hours) and typically takes 1-3 months, compared to Bachelor's + Student Teaching and 4-5 years for Teacher (K-12).

Which license costs more: Insurance Agent or Teacher (K-12)?

Teacher (K-12) has a higher average initial fee of $199, while Insurance Agent averages $149 — a difference of $50.

Do all states require a license for Insurance Agent and Teacher (K-12)?

Insurance Agent requires licensing in 53 of 53 jurisdictions, while Teacher (K-12) requires it in 53 of 53 jurisdictions. Requirements vary significantly by state.

Which career is faster to enter: Insurance Agent or Teacher (K-12)?

Insurance Agent typically takes 1-3 months from start to licensure, while Teacher (K-12) takes 4-5 years. Consider both the time investment and earning potential when making your decision.

Detailed Comparison

Metric	Insurance Agent	Teacher (K-12)
Category	Insurance	Education
Median Salary	$59,400	$65,090
Avg Initial Fee	$149	$199
Difficulty	Low-Medium	High
Education	Pre-licensing course (20-40 hours)	Bachelor's + Student Teaching
Exam	State Insurance Exam	Praxis or State Test
Time to License	1-3 months	4-5 years
Renewal Period	Every 2 yr	Every 5 yr
CE Hours / Cycle	24 hrs	60 hrs
States Requiring	53 of 53	53 of 53