Actuaries Career, Salary and Skills
Actuaries have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $130,000 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 26,670. Wage data is published for 108 locations.
Occupation description
Analyze statistical data, such as mortality, accident, sickness, disability, and retirement rates and construct probability tables to forecast risk and liability for payment of future benefits. May ascertain insurance rates required and cash reserves necessary to ensure payment of future benefits.
O*NET code
15-2011.00
Job zone
4
Typical education
Not recorded
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$130,000
Hourly median
$62.50
Employment
26,670
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 4.38 | 5.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.12 | 4.88 |
| Active Listening | 4.00 | 4.12 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.00 | 4.88 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.00 | 4.75 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.00 | 4.88 |
| Writing | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Speaking | 3.88 | 4.25 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.88 | 4.62 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.75 | 4.75 |
Typical tasks
- Analyze data to determine premium rates required and cash reserves and liabilities necessary to ensure payment of future benefits.
- 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.
- 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.
- Provide advice to clients on a contract basis, working as a consultant.
- 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.
- Determine equitable basis for distributing surplus earnings under participating insurance and annuity contracts in mutual companies.
Technology
- Appraisal software
- ARMON Technologies XLActuary
- C++
- Cash flow software
- Compliance testing software
- dBASE Plus
- GGY AXIS
- IBM Lotus Notes
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- Insightful S-PLUS
- Insureware ICRFS-ELRF
- Lewis & Ellis LEAPPS
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
Actuaries salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Actuaries Salary in New York, NYMedian $161,460 · Employment 2,780
- Actuaries Salary in NYMedian $156,480 · Employment 2,630
- Actuaries Salary in ILMedian $115,430 · Employment 2,280
- Actuaries Salary in TXMedian $105,020 · Employment 1,750
- Actuaries Salary in PAMedian $125,040 · Employment 1,710
- Actuaries Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $113,730 · Employment 1,560
- Actuaries Salary in CTMedian $166,800 · Employment 1,380
- Actuaries Salary in FLMedian $132,110 · Employment 1,300
- Actuaries Salary in CAMedian $130,510 · Employment 1,280
- Actuaries Salary in NJMedian $142,800 · Employment 1,260
- Actuaries Salary in MNMedian $128,100 · Employment 1,170
- Actuaries Salary in OHMedian $110,980 · Employment 1,090
Related careers
- Business Intelligence AnalystsNational median $120,230
- StatisticiansNational median $105,650
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelNational median $69,990
- Insurance Sales AgentsNational median $62,280
- Credit AnalystsNational median $83,510
- Compensation and Benefits ManagersNational median $149,230
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales AgentsNational median $78,660
- Management AnalystsNational median $101,860
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.