All careersBusiness & finance

Actuary

$130,000
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Use math and statistics to measure financial risk, pricing insurance and pensions so they stay sound.

Where you work

Offices or remote; at a desk, deep in data and models.

The hours

Usually full-time; regular hours with study time for exams.

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$130,000
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~2,400
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+22%
Much faster than average
Working in the U.S.
coming soon

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Math degree + an exam ladder — employers pay per exam passed.

License or certification

Advancement comes through a series of professional certification exams.

What it takes

Math skillsAnalytical thinkingProblem solvingAttention to detail

The honest take

Exams instead of grad school: six figures with no debt beyond a bachelor's.

Standard Occupational Classification 15-2011. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.