How Much Do Loan Officers Make?

Loan officers earn a hefty sum annually, but is the job quite right for you? Learn more.

Want to get a loan? Sure. But it might not be that easy. You need to impress the loan officer!

A loan officer represents financial entities like banks or credit unions, aiding borrowers in obtaining loans. They handle various lending products for businesses and individuals, requiring a deep understanding of banking regulations, products, and necessary paperwork.

Responsibilities encompass assessing loan applications and evaluating applicants’ financial situations to ascertain loan eligibility. Additionally, they educate clients about various loan options, validate financial particulars, and initiate communication with potential candidates and enterprises to assess loan qualification.

Let’s look into a bit about loan officers.

What do Loan Officers do?

Loan officers play a pivotal role in streamlining the lending process for banking clients through effective communication. They handle diverse loan products like personal loans, mortgages, and credit lines, exhibiting a profound understanding of both the products and banking protocols. This expertise enhances borrowers’ confidence in the lending process.

Serving as direct points of contact, loan officers are essential for individuals seeking loans from financial institutions. Many borrowers opt for direct interaction with loan officers to ensure their requirements are addressed comprehensively. Despite potentially longer traditional lending procedures, the personal touch fosters borrower trust and confidence throughout the lending transaction.

 Image Source: US News Money
Image Source: US News Money

A loan officer is responsible for doing the following:

  • They accomplish mortgage loan human resource objectives by situating, preparing, relegating, booking, educating, guiding, and training employees; communicating job expectations; planning, monitoring, and appraising job contributions; recommending compensation actions; adhering to policies and procedures.
  • They satisfy contract credit operational guidelines by contributing mortgage advance data to key plans and surveys; executing creation, efficiency, quality, and client support principles; settling issues, and identifying mortgage loan system improvements.
  • They satisfy mortgage loan financial standards by giving yearly spending data; observing uses; recognizing changes; executing remedial activities.
  • They pull in new home loan credit applications by creating connections inside the network, explicitly with the real estate community, settling on deals decisions for imminent clients.
  • They endorse contract advances by analyzing applications and supporting documentation, assessing credit value, and calculating repayment risk.
  • They complete mortgage loans by monitoring collection, checking, and planning of home loan advance documentation, booking, and finishing contract advance shutting.
  • They also protect the bank’s image by keeping mortgage loan information confidential.
  • They constantly upgrade their work knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; pursuing proficient distributions; keeping up close to home organizations; taking an interest in expert associations.
  • They are also responsible for accomplishing bank missions by completing related results as needed.

How to become a Loan Officer?

If embarking on a career as a loan officer is your goal, follow these steps to streamline your journey:

 Image Source: The Knowledge Academy
Image Source: The Knowledge Academy
  1. Educational consideration: While a strict requirement isn’t in place, many employers seek candidates with at least a bachelor’s degree. According to Zippia, 61% of loan officers hold a bachelor’s degree, and 17% have an associate degree. A college degree in finance, economics, or a related field can provide the desired background knowledge for a loan officer.
  2. Obtain relevant qualifications: Licensing criteria for loan officers can differ across states. For mortgage work, adherence to federal guidelines is crucial. This entails acquiring your state’s Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO) licenses and registering with the National Mortgage Licensing Service (NMLS). The process might encompass coursework, exams, and background and credit checks.
  3. Cultivate essential loan officer skills: Based on data from ZipRecruiter, sought-after loan officer skills include expertise in mortgage loans, customer service, effective communication, documentation, Microsoft Office proficiency, relationship management, and more.  Additional skills beneficial for a loan officer career include
    1. Analytical skills: Vital for assessing financial statements and creditworthiness of potential borrowers and comprehending financial market operations.
    2. Time management and organizational skills: Essential for managing the intricate paperwork involved in each loan.
    3. Familiarity with specialized banking and financial software applications: Needed to service loans, alongside general computer skills for adapting to digital platforms.
  4. Pursue loan officer positions: When you’re prepared to initiate your job search, invest time updating your resume, honing interview techniques, and exploring opportunities. As of January 2023, notable career platforms listed job openings:
    1. Glassdoor: 2,251 job postings
    2. LinkedIn: 3,922 job postings
    3. Indeed: 1,478 job postings

Industries currently seeking loan officers encompass finance, education, construction, government and public administration, healthcare, human resources, information technology, insurance, legal services, media and communications, and management and consulting.

Loan Officer Requirements

  • Experience as a loan officer or in a similar role
  • Previous experience in sales or customer support is an asset
  • Working knowledge of mortgage loan computer software (e.g., Calyx Point)
  • Ability to handle confidential information
  • Great mathematical and analytical skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Reliability and honesty
  • A valid license is a must
  • A degree in Finance or Business is a plus

Disadvantages of being a Loan Officer

With every job, being a loan officer comes with its share of pros and cons, and the biggest disadvantage of being a loan officer is working for years and years before you get yourself out there in the market. Some people spend half their careers just trying to establish themselves and making a name- which is a time taking process, and most people opt out during that only.

 Image Source: Adobe Stock
Image Source: Adobe Stock

However, this shouldn’t hinder people who are willing to walk miles for this career. There is a list of pros and cons to help you decide whether being a loan officer is your cup of tea.

Pros Cons
Flexible work hours. You’ll need to work hard to get established.
Independence allows you to be the boss. Working with banks can lead to frustration.
Continually upgrading your skills will lead to you becoming an industry expert. You’ll need to know a great deal about compliance and legislation.
You’ll constantly be thinking and dealing with figures. Dealing with significant amounts means always having to be on the ball.
Combining your sales and analytical skills will allow you to be successful. The skills needed to be a broker sometimes take years to master.

How much do Loan Officers make?

As of August 2, 2023, the typical monthly compensation for a Loan Officer in the United States stands at $5,944.

Current data reveals a range of monthly salaries from as low as $1,833 to as high as $11,042. Most Loan Officers fall within the $3,583 (25th percentile) to $7,916 (75th percentile) range, indicating potential earnings growth based on skills, location, and experience.

 Image Source: Investopedia
Image Source: Investopedia

Factors like the employer and individual job performance influence earnings. Compensation structures can include flat salaries, hourly rates, or commissions added to the regular pay. Commission earnings are tied to the number of loans originated or how successfully loans are repaid.
There are, of course, some states where the salaries are a lot more in low-paying states, and this table will show you how.

Rank State Adjusted Salary Average Wage Cost Of Living
1 Kansas $93,793 $84,320 89.9
2 Texas $92,513 $83,910 90.7
3 Nebraska $89,235 $81,740 91.6
4 Illinois $86,279 $81,620 94.6
5 Arkansas $84,948 $73,990 87.1
6 Missouri $84,679 $76,550 90.4
7 Georgia $82,122 $75,060 91.4
8 Virginia $79,801 $80,440 100.8
9 Florida $79,348 $78,000 98.3
10 New York $78,969 $107,770 131.0
11 Minnesota $78,789 $79,420 100.8
12 Nevada $77,725 $101,690 103.3
13 New Hampshire $77,350 $93,410 117.0
14 North Carolina $76,900 $72,210 93.9
15 Ohio $76,791 $72,030 93.8
16 Mississippi $76,088 $65,360 85.9
17 Oklahoma $76,020 $67,810 89.2
18 Wisconsin $75,816 $73,390 96.8
19 Wyoming $75,740 $69,530 91.8
20 Indiana $75,363 $67,450 89.5
21 North Dakota $74,778 $74,330 99.4
22 Kentucky $74,530 $67,450 90.5
23 Alabama $74,407 $67,860 91.2
24 Iowa $74,263 $67,580 91.0
25 Connecticut $71,832 $91,730 127.7
26 Tennessee $71,375 $63,810 89.4
27 Washington $71,131 $74,830 105.2
28 Massachusetts $70,869 $95,370 133.4
29 New Jersey $70,172 $91,790 121.9
30 South Carolina $69,798 $69,240 99.2
31 Delaware $69,132 $70,100 101.4
32 Maine $68,898 $88,720 110.8
33 Colorado $68,410 $71,010 103.8
34 Pennsylvania $67,337 $68,280 101.4
35 Maryland $67,123 $84,240 125.5
36 Oregon $66,332 $96,340 115.6
37 Idaho $66,026 $60,810 92.1
38 New Mexico $65,616 $63,320 96.5
39 Arizona $63,704 $62,430 98.0
40 Montana $63,402 $63,910 100.8
41 Utah $61,978 $57,640 93.0
42 South Dakota $60,973 $63,230 103.7
43 West Virginia $59,282 $88,870 93.4
44 Louisiana $59,272 $56,190 94.8
45 California $58,086 $78,940 135.9
46 Rhode Island $57,580 $69,500 120.7
47 Vermont $54,789 $66,350 121.1
48 Alaska $54,248 $71,120 131.1
49 Hawaii $43,353 $91,200 167.9

Note: Sample rates have been extracted online, courtesy of Zippia.

Conclusion

Loan officers are responsible for evaluating a creditor and determining whether they’re approved for a certain type of loan. Loan officers have to be very careful in scrutinizing a borrower’s creditworthiness, especially in cases of a mortgage loan.

The average yearly salary for a loan officer in 2019 was $73,650 per year, and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the lowest 10% of wage earners in this field earn a yearly salary that is just under $32,820, but earners in the top 10% earn an average salary of over $132,290.

Sandra Johnson

Sandra Johnson

Sandra Johnson was a few years out of school and took a job as a life insurance agent in California, selling coverage door-to-door for Prudential. The experience taught her about the technical components of insurance and its benefits for individuals and society, as well as the misunderstandings people often have about insurance. She has over ten years’ experience in the insurance industry, having worked as both a Broker and Underwriter, assisting clients across a broad range of industries. At Insurance Noon, Sarah diligently gathers all the required information and curates up pieces to provide meaningful insurance solutions. Her personal value proposition is to demonstrate a genuine interest in always adding value for clients.Her determined approach to guiding clients has turned her into a platinum adviser to multiple insurers.

Insurance Noon is the world's leading source of insurance related content on the web, focusing on industry news, buying guides, reviews, and much more.