A license or certification can open doors, but only if employers near you ask for it. So this page starts with what real postings say, then shows what each credential takes and how to get help paying for it.
What the postings we screen ask for
Every day our system reads employer job postings for the roles our clients want. On November 10, 2026, we counted which credentials those postings mention. Here is what we found in one client's search, which covers insurance account manager and account executive roles plus B2B account executive and customer success roles, in New Jersey, New York and remote:
| Credential | Postings that mention it |
|---|---|
| Property & Casualty (P&C) license | 80 of 976 (8%) |
| Bachelor's degree | 70 of 976 (7%) |
| Life & Health license | 11 of 976 (1%) |
| CIC (Certified Insurance Counselor) | 6 of 976 |
| CPCU | 2 of 976 |
| CISR | 2 of 976 |
How to read this: these are postings found in the last 60 days. We only store the first 2,000 characters of each posting, and requirements often come later, so the real numbers are higher. Treat them as a floor. The takeaway is still clear: for the insurance jobs in this search, the P&C license comes up more than 10 times as often as any insurance designation. Many of those postings list the license as a requirement, while CIC and CPCU mostly appear as a plus.
We run this count for each client's own job titles. When a job we send you requires a license or certification your resume doesn't show, the job card says so and points back here.
How to get training paid for
- Book a meeting with your career center first. In New Jersey, that's your local One-Stop Career Center. In New York, it's your local Career Center (in New York City, a Workforce1 Career Center). Do this before you enroll anywhere.
- Ask about an Individual Training Account (ITA). This is federal WIOA money for eligible adults and laid-off workers. New Jersey's guidance recommends up to $7,500 per account, and local areas can set other limits. The training has to be on the state's approved provider list and lead to an in-demand job.
- If you're collecting unemployment, ask about training while on benefits. In New Jersey, approved training can come with up to 26 extra weeks of benefits (Additional Benefits During Training). In New York, Section 599 lets you keep benefits while in approved full-time training; it does not pay tuition, and New York says applying within the first 13 weeks of your claim gets you the most from it.
- Ask your employer. Many employers pay for licenses and courses. Under IRS rules, an employer can give you up to $5,250 a year in education help tax-free.
- Check free options. SkillUp NJ has free online courses. Our free help guide lists career centers, workshops and online tools in both states.
Insurance licenses
| New Jersey (resident) | New York (resident) | |
|---|---|---|
| P&C pre-licensing class | 40 hours (20 property, 20 casualty) | At least 90 hours for a P&C broker license (waived with a CPCU or one year of qualifying work) |
| Life & Health class | 40 hours (20 life, 20 health) | At least 40 hours |
| Exam | PSI | PSI |
| License fee | $170 ($150 license plus $20 application) | $80 |
| Fingerprints | Required, $66.05 through IDEMIA (IdentoGo) | Ask NY DFS |
Pre-licensing courses online typically run from about $130 to $350, depending on the school and package. Check that the school is approved in your state before you pay. New Jersey publishes its list of approved education providers on the Department of Banking and Insurance site.
Designations and certifications
| Credential | What it takes | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| CIC (insurance) | Pass 5 of 7 courses within 5 years. No prerequisites; aimed at people with 2+ years in insurance or a license. | PIA NJ lists $445 per course |
| CISR (insurance service) | Pass 5 of 9 courses within 3 years. Open to anyone working in insurance. | PIA NJ lists $180 per course |
| CPCU (insurance) | 8 courses plus ethics. Most people finish in 18 to 24 months. | About $5,600 to $6,000 in total |
| PMP (project management) | 36 months leading projects with a 4-year degree, or 60 months without, plus 35 hours of training. | Exam $405 for PMI members, $555 for others |
| Google Career Certificates (IT support, data, project management and more) | Self-paced online. Most finish in 3 to 6 months at under 10 hours a week. | $49 a month on Coursera |
| CompTIA Network+, Security+ (IT) | No required prerequisites listed. Security+ suggests Network+ and about 2 years of experience first. | Check comptia.org; county colleges near you may offer funded prep courses |
Several county colleges run courses that may qualify for career-center funding. For example, Brookdale Community College in Monmouth County lists a CompTIA Network+ course on New Jersey's training site, marked as possibly eligible for One-Stop funding.
Before you spend money on a credential
- Check the postings first. If almost no jobs near you ask for it, it may not be worth the time yet.
- Look for "required" versus "preferred." A required license gets you in the door. A preferred one helps you stand out.
- Watch for jobs that pay for it. Some postings say the employer will help you get the license after you're hired. Read the posting closely, and ask in the interview.
- No credential guarantees a job. It widens the jobs you qualify for. We'll tell you honestly what the postings show.
We don't earn money from any school or course on this page.
Sources
- NJ Department of Labor, training for unemployed job seekers: https://www.nj.gov/labor/myunemployment/jobseekers/training/index.shtml
- NJ Department of Labor, ITA guidance WD-PY25-6, Change 1: https://nj.gov/labor/assets/PDFs/WIOA/documents/resources/WD-PY25-6.1%20ITA%20Guidance.pdf
- NY Department of Labor, ETPL and ITA technical advisory 18-02.4: https://dol.ny.gov/ta-18-024
- NY Department of Labor, Section 599 program: https://dol.ny.gov/599-program
- NYC Workforce1 Career Centers: https://www.nyc.gov/es/employment/programs/workforce1
- NJ DOBI, producer licensing FAQ: https://www.nj.gov/dobi/insliced/prodfaqs.htm
- NJ DOBI, fingerprinting: https://www.nj.gov/dobi/insliced/livescan.htm
- NY DFS, P&C broker license: https://www.dfs.ny.gov/apps_and_licensing/agents_and_brokers/lic_app_pc_br
- NY DFS, Life, Accident and Health license: https://www.dfs.ny.gov/apps_and_licensing/agents_and_brokers/lic_app_la_lb
- CIC program: https://www.riskeducation.org/programs/cic/
- CISR program: https://riskeducation.org/cisr
- PIA NJ course schedule and prices: https://pia.org/EDU/schedule.php?state=nj
- The Institutes, CPCU program overview: https://theinstitutes.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/158000434462-cpcu-program-overview-requirements
- PMI, PMP certification: https://www.pmi.org/certifications/project-management-pmp
- Google Career Certificates: https://grow.google/certificates/
- CompTIA Security+: https://www.comptia.org/en-us/certifications/security/v7/
- CompTIA Network+ FAQ: https://www.comptia.org/faq/network/how-much-does-the-comptia-network-certification-cost
- IRS, Section 127 educational assistance FAQs: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-updates-frequently-asked-questions-about-section-127-educational-assistance-programs
- My Career NJ, Brookdale CompTIA Network+ listing: https://mycareer.nj.gov/training/49478
- Course price examples: Kaplan NJ P&C: https://www.kaplanfinancial.com/insurance/new-jersey/property-casualty
- Course price examples: ExamFX P&C: https://www.examfx.com/insurance/property-casualty
- Course price examples: 360training NJ P&C: https://www.360training.com/course/premium-new-jersey-property-casualty-pre-licensing-package
Want help with the search?
The jobs we send are checked on the employer's own site before they reach you, and rechecked daily. Every job shows pay as the employer posted it. If the employer doesn't post pay, we don't send the job. Free for 14 days while Steady Path Careers is in its pilot.
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