How to Become an Actuary
Analyze the financial costs of risk and uncertainty using mathematics, statistics, and financial theory. It typically requires a bachelor's degree, with a median salary of $130,000 per year and much faster than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$130,000/yr
Middle half
$97,680 to $170,650
Job growth
Much faster than average
Openings / yr
2,400
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Statistical Modeling
- Risk Assessment
- Financial Mathematics
- Programming (R/Python)
- Communication
Helpful certifications
- SOA (Society of Actuaries) Exams
- CAS (Casualty Actuarial Society) Exams
- ASA
- FSA
- FCAS
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
80/100
Work-life balance
78/100
Stress level
32/100
Satisfaction
76/100
Related careers
- Financial Manager$166,570 median
- Financial Risk Specialist$117,330 median
- Personal Financial Advisor$105,070 median
- Financial Analyst$102,740 median
- Management Consultant$101,860 median
- Financial Examiner$94,160 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Actuary make?
The median pay for an Actuary is $130,000 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $97,680 and $170,650 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become an Actuary?
The usual entry point is a bachelor's degree. Common majors are Actuarial Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Finance, and Risk Management.
Is Actuary a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is much faster than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 2,400 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does an Actuary use most?
Common skills for this role are Statistical Modeling, Risk Assessment, Financial Mathematics, Programming (R/Python), and Communication.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).