What is the salary and career path for a actuary?
Actuary is its own detailed occupation, Actuaries (SOC 15-2011), so the OEWS May 2025 median is $130,000 a year ($62.50 an hour), from $78,570 at the 10th percentile to $215,100 at the 90th. Pay climbs sharply with each SOA or CAS exam passed, from student analyst to fully credentialed Fellow. BLS projects 21.8% growth over 2024–2034, much faster than average, with roughly 2,400 openings a year. No state license is required, but passing the actuarial exam series toward Associate (ASA/ACAS) and Fellow (FSA/FCAS) status is the defining credential of the profession.
- Actuarys earn a national median $130,000/yr ($62.50/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 15-2011); the top 10% clear $215,100.
- No state license is required, but passing the SOA or CAS exam series toward ASA/ACAS and FSA/FCAS status is the defining credential.
- BLS projects 21.8% growth for 2024–34, much faster than average, with roughly 2,400 openings a year.
- The ladder runs from actuarial analyst through Associate and Fellow to chief actuary near $215,100.
Career Path
How do you become an actuary?
Actuarial Analyst / Student
Runs models and passes early exams under supervision; pay near the BLS 10th percentile.
Actuary (Associate, ASA/ACAS)
Credentialed associate pricing or reserving lines — around the $130,000 median.
Fellow Actuary (FSA/FCAS)
Fully credentialed Fellow signing off on reserves and pricing; earnings near the 75th percentile.
Chief Actuary / Actuarial Director
Leads the actuarial function for a line or company; top-decile pay near the 90th percentile.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays actuarys the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 15-2011. National median: $130,000. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does actuary pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles actuarys most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: actuarys rank 1 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +21.8% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly actuarys clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 15-2011 (actuarys) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do actuarys need?
Society of Actuaries Associate and Fellow designations for life, health, retirement and finance actuaries. See all state licences →
Casualty Actuarial Society Associate and Fellow designations for property-casualty actuaries.
Validation by Educational Experience plus probability and financial-math exams that begin the credentialing path.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do actuarys use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 15-2011
Salary Levers
How do actuarys earn above the $130,000 BLS median?
Exams passed and credential
Each exam passed raises pay, moving analysts from the $78,570 entry tier toward the $130,000 median as they reach ASA/ACAS.
Fellowship (FSA/FCAS)
Full Fellowship lifts earnings toward the $170,650 upper quartile as actuaries sign off on reserves and pricing.
Leadership and specialization
Chief actuary and director roles in high-demand lines push earnings toward the $215,100 top decile.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming an actuary worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 15-2011. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Actuary Career, Frequently Asked Questions
Actuary career research journey
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