15 Series · SOC 15-2011
Actuaries Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $130,000
- Median / year
- $215,100
- Top 10% earn
- +21.8%
- Growth '23–'33
- 26,670
- US workers
Actuaries earn a median of $130,000 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $130,000, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $78,570 (10th percentile) to $215,100 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 26,670 US workers. Connecticut pays the most ($166,800), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Actuaries earn a median of $130,000, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 92% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Computer and Mathematical, it ranks #5 of 21 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 21.8% by 2033.
- $130,000
- Median annual wage
- Top 8%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #5 of 21
- in Computer and Mathematical
- 2.7×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Connecticut at $166,800. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Actuaries (SOC 15-2011) pays a national median of $130,000 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $78,570 at the 10th percentile to $215,100 at the 90th, with a mean of $141,480 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 26,670 Americans work in this occupation across 37 reporting states and 74 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +21.8% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as much faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 2,400 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree and long-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.3 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Connecticut pays the highest state median at $166,800, which is +28% above the national figure. The top metro is Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT at $194,130 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$130,000
per year
Median Hourly
$62.50/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$141,480
average
Employment
26,670
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Actuaries pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$130,000 Top 8% higher than 92% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 15-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Actuaries; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 21 15-series occupations with growth data, Actuaries sits on the faster-growing side at +21.8% growth and $130,000 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+21.8%
Much faster than average
Annual Openings
2,400
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
On-the-Job Training
Long-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.3/100K
Injury Rate
0.2/100
Danger Index
1/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Actuaries roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Ascertain premium rates required and cash reserves and liabilities necessary to ensure payment of future benefits.
- ▸ Collaborate with programmers, underwriters, accounts, claims experts, and senior management to help companies develop plans for new lines of business or improvements to existing business.
- ▸ Analyze statistical information to estimate mortality, accident, sickness, disability, and retirement rates.
- ▸ Design, review, and help administer insurance, annuity and pension plans, determining financial soundness and calculating premiums.
- ▸ Determine, or help determine, company policy, and explain complex technical matters to company executives, government officials, shareholders, policyholders, or the public.
- ▸ Construct probability tables for events such as fires, natural disasters, and unemployment, based on analysis of statistical data and other pertinent information.
- ▸ Provide advice to clients on a contract basis, working as a consultant.
- ▸ Determine equitable basis for distributing surplus earnings under participating insurance and annuity contracts in mutual companies.
- ▸ Negotiate terms and conditions of reinsurance with other companies.
- ▸ Provide expertise to help financial institutions manage risks and maximize returns associated with investment products or credit offerings.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$78,570
25th Percentile
$97,680
Median
$130,000
75th Percentile
$170,650
90th Percentile
$215,100
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 37 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $166,800 | +28% above national |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $166,230 | +28% above national |
| 3 | New York | $156,480 | +20% above national |
| 4 | New Jersey | $142,800 | +10% above national |
| 5 | Alabama | $136,950 | +5% above national |
| 6 | Arizona | $135,870 | +5% above national |
| 7 | Washington | $134,720 | +4% above national |
| 8 | Utah | $132,720 | +2% above national |
| 9 | Nevada | $132,370 | +2% above national |
| 10 | Florida | $132,110 | +2% above national |
| 11 | Virginia | $131,900 | +1% above national |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $131,640 | +1% above national |
| 13 | California | $130,510 | same as national |
| 14 | Oregon | $130,380 | same as national |
| 15 | Missouri | $129,220 | 1% below national |
| 16 | North Carolina | $128,730 | 1% below national |
| 17 | Iowa | $128,690 | 1% below national |
| 18 | Minnesota | $128,100 | 1% below national |
| 19 | Maryland | $126,950 | 2% below national |
| 20 | Massachusetts | $126,040 | 3% below national |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $125,040 | 4% below national |
| 22 | Kansas | $125,010 | 4% below national |
| 23 | Colorado | $120,440 | 7% below national |
| 24 | Kentucky | $120,400 | 7% below national |
| 25 | Maine | $119,620 | 8% below national |
| 26 | Illinois | $115,430 | 11% below national |
| 27 | Rhode Island | $111,090 | 15% below national |
| 28 | Ohio | $110,980 | 15% below national |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $109,760 | 16% below national |
| 30 | Tennessee | $108,930 | 16% below national |
| 31 | Mississippi | $106,210 | 18% below national |
| 32 | Texas | $105,020 | 19% below national |
| 33 | Nebraska | $102,790 | 21% below national |
| 34 | Indiana | $100,690 | 23% below national |
| 35 | Michigan | $100,640 | 23% below national |
| 36 | Louisiana | $80,860 | 38% below national |
| 37 | Puerto Rico | $68,100 | 48% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 74 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $194,130 | +49% above national |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $175,330 | +35% above national |
| 3 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $166,800 | +28% above national |
| 4 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $163,350 | +26% above national |
| 5 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $161,460 | +24% above national |
| 6 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $144,680 | +11% above national |
| 7 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $143,430 | +10% above national |
| 8 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $142,180 | +9% above national |
| 9 | New Haven, CT | $141,020 | +8% above national |
| 10 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $139,810 | +8% above national |
| 11 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $138,570 | +7% above national |
| 12 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $138,220 | +6% above national |
| 13 | Madison, WI | $135,330 | +4% above national |
| 14 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $134,720 | +4% above national |
| 15 | Columbia, SC | $133,060 | +2% above national |
| 16 | Birmingham, AL | $132,840 | +2% above national |
| 17 | Jacksonville, FL | $132,830 | +2% above national |
| 18 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $132,720 | +2% above national |
| 19 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $132,010 | +2% above national |
| 20 | Richmond, VA | $131,900 | +1% above national |
| 21 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $131,680 | +1% above national |
| 22 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $131,040 | +1% above national |
| 23 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $130,540 | same as national |
| 24 | Rochester, NY | $130,220 | same as national |
| 25 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $129,590 | same as national |
| 26 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $129,560 | same as national |
| 27 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $129,540 | same as national |
| 28 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $129,360 | same as national |
| 29 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $129,100 | 1% below national |
| 30 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $128,730 | 1% below national |
| 31 | Fort Wayne, IN | $128,290 | 1% below national |
| 32 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $127,970 | 2% below national |
| 33 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $127,770 | 2% below national |
| 34 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $127,690 | 2% below national |
| 35 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $126,950 | 2% below national |
| 36 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $125,960 | 3% below national |
| 37 | Tallahassee, FL | $125,670 | 3% below national |
| 38 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $124,140 | 5% below national |
| 39 | Worcester, MA | $123,170 | 5% below national |
| 40 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $122,550 | 6% below national |
| 41 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $122,250 | 6% below national |
| 42 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $121,680 | 6% below national |
| 43 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $120,440 | 7% below national |
| 44 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $119,090 | 8% below national |
| 45 | Springfield, MA | $118,130 | 9% below national |
| 46 | Pittsburgh, PA | $117,600 | 10% below national |
| 47 | Springfield, IL | $117,590 | 10% below national |
| 48 | Akron, OH | $117,430 | 10% below national |
| 49 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $116,580 | 10% below national |
| 50 | Colorado Springs, CO | $113,760 | 12% below national |
| 51 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $113,730 | 13% below national |
| 52 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $110,300 | 15% below national |
| 53 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $110,190 | 15% below national |
| 54 | Oklahoma City, OK | $109,760 | 16% below national |
| 55 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $108,770 | 16% below national |
| 56 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $108,010 | 17% below national |
| 57 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $107,890 | 17% below national |
| 58 | Omaha, NE-IA | $107,130 | 18% below national |
| 59 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $106,600 | 18% below national |
| 60 | Columbus, OH | $106,540 | 18% below national |
| 61 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $106,490 | 18% below national |
| 62 | Jackson, MS | $106,250 | 18% below national |
| 63 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $105,640 | 19% below national |
| 64 | Cleveland, OH | $104,870 | 19% below national |
| 65 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $104,210 | 20% below national |
| 66 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $102,560 | 21% below national |
| 67 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $101,490 | 22% below national |
| 68 | Syracuse, NY | $101,430 | 22% below national |
| 69 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $101,040 | 22% below national |
| 70 | Green Bay, WI | $99,710 | 23% below national |
| 71 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $97,210 | 25% below national |
| 72 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $81,670 | 37% below national |
| 73 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $80,910 | 38% below national |
| 74 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $68,100 | 48% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 15 (computer and mathematical) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Actuaries make? ▼
What state pays Actuaries the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Actuaries? ▼
How dangerous is being a Actuaries? ▼
Is Actuaries a good career? ▼
How does Actuaries pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Actuaries? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Actuaries pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $170,650/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Connecticut leads at $166,800/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.