Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers
Search real estate records, examine titles, or summarize pertinent legal or insurance documents or details for a variety of purposes. May compile lists of mortgages, contracts, and other instruments pertaining to titles by searching public and private records for law firms, real estate agencies, or title insurance companies.
Also called: Abstract Clerk, Abstract Searcher, Abstract Writer, Abstractor, Advisory Title Officer, Commercial Examiner
Median pay
$58,650
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$38,170 – $90,830
People employed
48,580
Holland code
CEI
Conventional · Enterprising · Investigative
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 2.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
- 3.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 4.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 5.Do you want the same hours every week?
- 6.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
- Mistakes can have serious consequences
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers pay by state
Annual median pay by state (47 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers salary in every state →
What title examiners, abstractors, and searchers do
- 01Prepare and issue title commitments and title insurance policies, based on information compiled from title searches.
- 02Examine documentation such as mortgages, liens, judgments, easements, plat books, maps, contracts, and agreements to verify factors such as properties' legal descriptions, ownership, or restrictions.
- 03Examine individual titles to determine if restrictions, such as delinquent taxes, will affect titles and limit property use.
- 04Prepare reports describing any title encumbrances encountered during searching activities and outlining actions needed to clear titles.
- 05Prepare lists of all legal instruments applying to a specific piece of land and the buildings on it.
- 06Copy or summarize recorded documents, such as mortgages, trust deeds, and contracts, that affect property titles.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administrative
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Administration and Management
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a high school diploma (O*NET Job Zone 2).
- Related work experience: none.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks90% · −16%
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks87% · −17%
- Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks86% · −15%
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants83% · −5%
- File Clerks82% · −26%
Change into title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks91% · $48,700
- Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks88% · $49,230
- Data Entry Keyers85% · $41,340
- File Clerks85% · $43,600
- Correspondence Clerks84% · $46,800
Majors that lead here
- Legal Assistant/Paralegal
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.