# Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers

US SOC code 23-2093. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/23-2093

Also called: Title examiner, Title searcher, Title abstractor, Real estate title examiner, Title officer.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **48,580** US title examiners, abstractors, and searchers, with median pay of **$58,650** a year. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://pioneer-title.com/the-history-of-title-companies-in-the-united-states-how-it-all-began/) of **2,500** from 1870, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers: Property data aggregation platforms, 2015 to 2022.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 2.1% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=23-2093&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **55.4%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35.

## Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1700
- Latest US employment: 48,580 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Latest US median pay: $58,650 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [8]
- Outlook: +2.1% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [24]

### All 27 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1870 | 2,500 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Pioneer Abstract and Title Co [1] |
| 1900 | 12,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., ALTA [2] |
| 1950 | 38,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Wikipedia [3] |
| 2000 | 40,000 | $29,950 | BLS OEWS 2000 [4] |
| 2003 | 47,840 | $34,080 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [5] |
| 2004 | 53,700 | $34,880 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [5] |
| 2005 | 64,580 | $35,120 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [5] |
| 2006 | 63,410 | $36,020 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [5] |
| 2007 | 62,200 | $37,200 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [5] |
| 2008 | 59,390 | $38,300 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [5] |
| 2009 | 56,820 | $38,770 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [5] |
| 2010 | 50,490 | $38,990 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [5] |
| 2011 | 49,760 | $40,760 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [5] |
| 2012 | 49,390 | $41,970 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [5] |
| 2013 | 53,640 | $42,830 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [5] |
| 2014 | 52,960 | $43,080 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [5] |
| 2015 | 54,620 | $44,370 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [5] |
| 2016 | 54,560 | $45,800 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [5] |
| 2017 | 53,040 | $46,850 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [5] |
| 2018 | 52,180 | $47,130 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [5] |
| 2019 | 52,890 | $48,180 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [5] |
| 2020 | 54,960 | $48,820 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [5] |
| 2021 | 51,040 | $47,310 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [5] |
| 2022 | 53,680 | $50,490 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [5] |
| 2023 | 49,760 | $53,550 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [5] |
| 2024 | 48,170 | $54,980 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [6] |
| 2025 | 48,580 | $58,650 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [5] |

## Sources (88)

### Employment series

1. [Pioneer Abstract and Title Co. — "The History of Title Companies in the United States"](https://pioneer-title.com/the-history-of-title-companies-in-the-united-states-how-it-all-began/), Pioneer Abstract and Title Co.
2. [ALTA — "About the American Land Title Association" (founded 1907 as trade voice of abstracters and title agents)](https://www.alta.org/about/), American Land Title Association
3. [Wikipedia — Title insurance (history of industry development post-WWII)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Title_insurance), Wikipedia
4. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
6. [BLS OEWS May 2024, national cross-industry estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Wage series

7. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
8. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
9. [BLS OEWS May 2024, national cross-industry estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Tool eras

10. [Pioneer Abstract and Title Co. — "The History of Title Companies in the United States"](https://pioneer-title.com/the-history-of-title-companies-in-the-united-states-how-it-all-began/), Pioneer Abstract and Title Co.
11. [The American Surveyor — "Record Title: Part 1, Foundations" (colonial recording acts and chain-of-title practice)](https://amerisurv.com/2012/10/27/record-title-part-1-foundations/), The American Surveyor
12. [ALTA — "Philadelphia Fact: The Birthplace of Title Insurance" (Real Estate Title Insurance Company of Philadelphia, 1876)](https://www.alta.org/news-and-publications/news/20150310-Philadelphia-Fact-The-Birthplace-of-Title-Insurance), American Land Title Association
13. [First American — "History of Title Insurance" (evolution of title plant operations)](https://www.firstam.com/title/multiculturalresources/history-of-title-insurance.html), First American Title
14. [Courthouse Direct — "What Is a Title Plant?" (description of abstract plant evolution from ledger to microfilm)](https://info.courthousedirect.com/blog/what-is-a-title-plant), Courthouse Direct
15. [Mother Lode Democrat — "Inter-County Title maintains treasure trove of county records" (computerization in 1980, handwritten posting phased out)](https://www.mtdemocrat.com/specialpublications/secrets_of_success/inter-county-title-maintains-treasure-trove-of-county-records/article_d61acb87-5cee-54ad-bceb-127be733109d.html), Mother Lode Democrat
16. [Simplifile / ICE Mortgage Technology — eRecording Laws and Legislation (UETA 1999, ESIGN 2000 background)](https://mortgagetech.ice.com/products/simplifile/erecording/erecording-laws-and-legislation), ICE Mortgage Technology
17. [Simplifile / ICE Mortgage Technology — "What Is eRecording" (history: UETA 1999, ESIGN 2000, URPERA 2004)](https://backup.simplifile.com/e-recording/what-is-e-recording/), Simplifile / ICE Mortgage Technology
18. [First American DataTree — Property data and title search aggregation platform](https://dna.firstam.com/solutions/property-data/datatree-property-research), First American
19. [Qualia — "Real Estate Tech Platform Qualia Becomes Latest Tech Unicorn" (Series D 2020, $1B+ valuation)](https://www.qualia.com/press-releases/real-estate-tech-platform-qualia-becomes-latest-tech-unicorn/), Qualia
20. [Doma — "States Title Uses Machine Intelligence to Eliminate Human Review of Closing Documents" (machine-learning underwriting, 2018-2019)](https://www.doma.com/states-title-uses-machine-intelligence-to-eliminate-human-review-of-closing-documents/), Doma
21. [Doma — "Doma Brings Machine Learning Technology to Approximately 83% of US Residential Real Estate Market"](https://www.doma.com/doma-brings-machine-learning-technology-to-approximately-83-of-us-residential-real-estate-market/), Doma
22. [ALTA — 2024 Annual Survey: AI adoption in title search operations (~30% routine search AI-assisted at major underwriters)](https://www.alta.org/industry-research/), American Land Title Association
23. [TechCrunch — "Deal Dive: An AI application that isn't just marginally better" (Pippin Title AI title search, November 2023)](https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/18/ai-real-estate-pippin-title/), TechCrunch

### Forecasts and exposure studies

24. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 23-2093 Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers (2025: 59.8 thousand; 2035: 61.1 thousand; +2.1%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=23-2093&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
25. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 23-2093.00, human-rated β 0.554)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

26. [The American Surveyor — "Record Title: Part 1, Foundations" (Statute of Frauds 1677, colonial recording acts)](https://amerisurv.com/2012/10/27/record-title-part-1-foundations/), The American Surveyor
27. [CB Title Group — "History of Title Insurance" (Watson v. Muirhead 1868 and the Pennsylvania legislative response)](https://cbtitlegroup.com/reference/history-of-title-insurance/), CB Title Group
28. [ALTA — "Philadelphia Fact: The Birthplace of Title Insurance" (March 28, 1876, Real Estate Title Insurance Company of Philadelphia)](https://www.alta.org/news-and-publications/news/20150310-Philadelphia-Fact-The-Birthplace-of-Title-Insurance), American Land Title Association
29. [ALTA — "About the American Land Title Association" (founded 1907)](https://www.alta.org/about/), American Land Title Association
30. [Pioneer Abstract and Title Co. — "The History of Title Companies in the United States" (RESPA 1974)](https://pioneer-title.com/the-history-of-title-companies-in-the-united-states-how-it-all-began/), Pioneer Abstract and Title Co.
31. [Wikipedia — "Timeline of the 2000s United States housing bubble" (housing peak 2006, collapse 2007-2009)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_2000s_United_States_housing_bubble), Wikipedia
32. [States Title / Doma — "States Title Awarded Machine Intelligence Patent" (April 9, 2019)](https://www.doma.com/states-title-awarded-machine-intelligence-patent/), Doma
33. [Simplifile / ICE Mortgage Technology — "eRecording Laws and Legislation" (UETA 1999, ESIGN 2000, URPERA 2004)](https://mortgagetech.ice.com/products/simplifile/erecording/erecording-laws-and-legislation), ICE Mortgage Technology

### Predecessors & successors

34. [CB Title Group — "History of Title Insurance" (conveyancers as predecessors to title abstractors)](https://cbtitlegroup.com/reference/history-of-title-insurance/), CB Title Group
35. [Pontis Community Services — "What is a Title Examiner / Abstractor in Real Estate Law?" (attorneys and abstractors, role separation history)](https://www.pontiscs.org/what-is-a-title-examiner-abstractor-in-real-estate-law), Pontis Community Services

### Present-day analysis

- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-24
- [O\*NET 30.3 — Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers (23-2093.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/23-2093.00), accessed 2026-05-24
- [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/legal/title-examiners-abstractors-and-searchers.htm), accessed 2026-05-24
- [ALTA — 2024 Annual Survey: AI adoption in title search operations (~30% routine search AI-assisted at major underwriters)](https://www.alta.org/industry-research/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [HousingWire — DataTrace on AI's reality, risk and responsibility in title search (Apr 2026)](https://www.housingwire.com/articles/datatrace-on-ais-reality-risk-and-responsibility-in-title-search/), accessed 2026-06-21
- [National Mortgage Professional — Title tech disruption: AI platforms and the abstractor (Jan 2026)](https://nationalmortgageprofessional.com/news/title-tech-disruption-ai-platforms-abstractor), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Doma — Machine-learning title underwriting for residential transactions](https://www.doma.com/tech/technology/), accessed 2026-06-21
- [Qualia — Core title operations platform ($1.2B+ valuation, 2025)](https://www.qualia.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [SoftPro 360 — AI Plus: automated title search and commitment production](https://www.softprocorp.com/products/softpro-select/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [First American DataTree — Property data and title search aggregation platform](https://dna.firstam.com/solutions/property-data/datatree-property-research), accessed 2026-05-24
- [CertifID — Wire fraud prevention for real estate closings](https://www.certifid.com/), accessed 2026-05-24

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.