Actuaries
Actuaries (SOC 15-2011) earn a median $130,000 a year ($62.50 an hour) in the United States, with 26,670 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Connecticut.
What actuaries do
Actuaries use statistics and financial theory to measure the cost of risk, mainly for insurance and pension programs. They analyze statistical information on mortality, accidents, sickness, disability, and retirement, and build probability tables that forecast risk and the cost of benefits that will come due. From these they determine the premium rates an insurer must charge and the cash reserves it needs to ensure that claims can be paid. They help design, check, and administer insurance and pension plans and confirm that the plans are financially sound. Actuaries work with programmers, underwriters, accountants, claims experts, and senior management to put their results to use. Titles include actuarial analyst, actuarial consultant, and actuarial associate. The occupation differs from insurance underwriters, who evaluate individual applications, from financial risk specialists, who measure credit and market exposure, and from statisticians, who work across many subject areas. Complex technical matters are explained to executives, government officials, shareholders, policyholders, or the public, and some actuaries advise clients on a contract basis as consultants.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a bachelor's degree as the typical level of education for this occupation.
Also called: Actuarial Analyst, Actuarial Associate, Actuarial Consultant, Actuarial Intern, Actuarial Mathematician.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $37.77 | $46.96 | $62.50 | $82.04 | $103.41 | $68.02 | 26,670 |
| Annual | $78,570 | $97,680 | $130,000 | $170,650 | $215,100 | $141,480 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where actuaries earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $47.80 | $62.10 | $80.19 | $95.32 | $110.01 | $79.15 | 1,380 | 0.82 | 4.76 |
| Annual | $99,430 | $129,170 | $166,800 | $198,260 | $228,810 | $164,640 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $56.10 | $69.56 | $79.92 | $89.05 | $99.74 | $79.07 | 160 | 0.22 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $116,690 | $144,680 | $166,230 | $185,220 | $207,450 | $164,460 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $39.55 | $51.03 | $75.23 | $101.60 | $133.56 | $77.73 | 2,630 | 0.27 | 1.58 |
| Annual | $82,250 | $106,140 | $156,480 | $211,330 | $277,800 | $161,670 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $41.39 | $53.06 | $68.65 | $88.69 | $108.03 | $73.49 | 1,260 | 0.30 | 1.72 |
| Annual | $86,090 | $110,360 | $142,800 | $184,480 | $224,700 | $152,850 | ||||
| Alabama | Hourly | $34.25 | $39.73 | $65.84 | $71.79 | $77.28 | $59.75 | 190 | 0.09 | 0.51 |
| Annual | $71,240 | $82,630 | $136,950 | $149,320 | $160,740 | $124,290 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $39.55 | $51.03 | $75.23 | $101.60 | $133.56 | $77.73 | 2,630 | 0.27 | 1.58 |
| Annual | $82,250 | $106,140 | $156,480 | $211,330 | $277,800 | $161,670 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $37.40 | $46.12 | $55.50 | $76.22 | $97.19 | $62.30 | 2,280 | 0.37 | 2.18 |
| Annual | $77,790 | $95,940 | $115,430 | $158,540 | $202,160 | $129,580 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $30.23 | $39.36 | $50.49 | $66.15 | $91.02 | $57.26 | 1,750 | 0.12 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $62,870 | $81,880 | $105,020 | $137,590 | $189,320 | $119,110 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $37.52 | $46.63 | $60.12 | $77.45 | $97.03 | $64.08 | 1,710 | 0.28 | 1.64 |
| Annual | $78,050 | $96,990 | $125,040 | $161,090 | $201,820 | $133,290 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,470 | 0.30 | 1.76 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | Hourly | $47.80 | $65.22 | $93.33 | $96.41 | $101.44 | $84.67 | 220 | 0.55 | 3.21 |
| Annual | $99,430 | $135,650 | $194,130 | $200,520 | $211,000 | $176,120 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $45.13 | $58.86 | $84.29 | $103.01 | $111.65 | $80.89 | 220 | 0.09 | 0.55 |
| Annual | $93,870 | $122,420 | $175,330 | $214,260 | $232,220 | $168,260 | ||||
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | Hourly | $48.64 | $62.12 | $80.19 | $98.57 | $110.01 | $78.59 | 960 | 1.59 | 9.29 |
| Annual | $101,180 | $129,210 | $166,800 | $205,030 | $228,810 | $163,460 | ||||
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | Hourly | $36.99 | $49.60 | $78.54 | $82.55 | $99.80 | $69.15 | 80 | 0.07 | 0.39 |
| Annual | $76,950 | $103,180 | $163,350 | $171,700 | $207,580 | $143,820 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $43.55 | $55.44 | $77.63 | $101.60 | $132.81 | $80.12 | 2,780 | 0.29 | 1.71 |
| Annual | $90,590 | $115,310 | $161,460 | $211,330 | $276,250 | $166,660 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $43.55 | $55.44 | $77.63 | $101.60 | $132.81 | $80.12 | 2,780 | 0.29 | 1.71 |
| Annual | $90,590 | $115,310 | $161,460 | $211,330 | $276,250 | $166,660 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $38.29 | $46.14 | $54.68 | $78.70 | $100.61 | $62.26 | 1,560 | 0.35 | 2.01 |
| Annual | $79,640 | $95,970 | $113,730 | $163,690 | $209,260 | $129,500 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,200 | 0.41 | 2.41 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $38.15 | $45.43 | $60.56 | $79.46 | $104.86 | $65.41 | 1,020 | 0.52 | 3.05 |
| Annual | $79,350 | $94,490 | $125,960 | $165,270 | $218,100 | $136,050 | ||||
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | Hourly | $48.64 | $62.12 | $80.19 | $98.57 | $110.01 | $78.59 | 960 | 1.59 | 9.29 |
| Annual | $101,180 | $129,210 | $166,800 | $205,030 | $228,810 | $163,460 | ||||
Top industries employing actuaries
Insurance Carriers employ 50.6% of actuaries nationally (13,500 jobs) at a median $129,230 a year ($62.13 an hour), followed by Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (22.3%) and Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (10.8%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance Carriers NAICS 524100 | 13,500 | 50.6% | $129,230 | $62.13 |
| Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities NAICS 524200 | 5,960 | 22.3% | $141,200 | $67.88 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services NAICS 541600 | 2,890 | 10.8% | $120,150 | $57.76 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 1,150 | 4.3% | $129,810 | $62.41 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services NAICS 541200 | 510 | 1.9% | $138,010 | $66.35 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (26,670). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $105,900 for actuaries in May 2021 and $130,000 in May 2025, with employment of 23,040 and 26,670.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $105,900 | $50.91 | 23,040 |
| May 2022 | $113,990 | $54.80 | 25,010 |
| May 2023 | $120,000 | $57.69 | 25,470 |
| May 2024 | $125,770 | $60.47 | 28,340 |
| May 2025 | $130,000 | $62.50 | 26,670 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
39 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut profile | $80.19 | $166,800 | $99,430 | $228,810 | 1,380 | 0.82 | 4.76 |
| 2 | District of Columbia profile | $79.92 | $166,230 | $116,690 | $207,450 | 160 | 0.22 | 1.29 |
| 3 | New York profile | $75.23 | $156,480 | $82,250 | $277,800 | 2,630 | 0.27 | 1.58 |
| 4 | New Jersey profile | $68.65 | $142,800 | $86,090 | $224,700 | 1,260 | 0.30 | 1.72 |
| 5 | Alabama profile | $65.84 | $136,950 | $71,240 | $160,740 | 190 | 0.09 | 0.51 |
| 6 | Arizona profile | $65.32 | $135,870 | $85,750 | $202,130 | 200 | 0.06 | 0.35 |
| 7 | Washington profile | $64.77 | $134,720 | $71,140 | $209,940 | 360 | 0.10 | 0.59 |
| 8 | Utah profile | $63.81 | $132,720 | $84,010 | $171,270 | 180 | 0.10 | 0.60 |
| 9 | Nevada profile | $63.64 | $132,370 | $77,090 | $207,580 | 120 | 0.08 | 0.45 |
| 10 | Florida profile | $63.51 | $132,110 | $80,450 | $206,700 | 1,300 | 0.13 | 0.76 |
| 11 | Virginia profile | $63.42 | $131,900 | $82,120 | $212,740 | 440 | 0.11 | 0.62 |
| 12 | Wisconsin profile | $63.29 | $131,640 | $76,890 | $204,790 | 890 | 0.30 | 1.76 |
| 13 | California profile | $62.75 | $130,510 | $83,510 | $219,490 | 1,280 | 0.07 | 0.41 |
| 14 | Oregon profile | $62.68 | $130,380 | $81,780 | $203,790 | 210 | 0.11 | 0.63 |
| 15 | Missouri profile | $62.13 | $129,220 | $77,780 | $207,080 | 390 | 0.13 | 0.78 |
| 16 | North Carolina profile | $61.89 | $128,730 | $72,420 | $193,830 | 610 | 0.12 | 0.72 |
| 17 | Iowa profile | $61.87 | $128,690 | $81,610 | $173,480 | 530 | 0.34 | 1.97 |
| 18 | Minnesota profile | $61.59 | $128,100 | $79,920 | $223,300 | 1,170 | 0.40 | 2.32 |
| 19 | Maryland profile | $61.04 | $126,950 | $76,670 | $185,220 | 580 | 0.21 | 1.22 |
| 20 | Massachusetts profile | $60.60 | $126,040 | $83,660 | $179,750 | ** | ** | ** |
| 21 | Pennsylvania profile | $60.12 | $125,040 | $78,050 | $201,820 | 1,710 | 0.28 | 1.64 |
| 22 | Kansas profile | $60.10 | $125,010 | $75,260 | $207,040 | 180 | 0.12 | 0.72 |
| 23 | Colorado profile | $57.91 | $120,440 | $78,610 | $183,540 | 500 | 0.17 | 1.01 |
| 24 | Kentucky profile | $57.89 | $120,400 | $87,260 | $215,580 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.21 |
| 25 | Maine profile | $57.51 | $119,620 | $85,200 | $166,220 | 80 | 0.12 | 0.72 |
| 26 | Illinois profile | $55.50 | $115,430 | $77,790 | $202,160 | 2,280 | 0.37 | 2.18 |
| 27 | Rhode Island profile | $53.41 | $111,090 | $76,120 | $182,530 | 100 | 0.21 | 1.21 |
| 28 | Ohio profile | $53.36 | $110,980 | $77,110 | $175,190 | 1,090 | 0.20 | 1.14 |
| 29 | Oklahoma profile | $52.77 | $109,760 | $78,310 | $161,910 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.24 |
| 30 | Tennessee profile | $52.37 | $108,930 | $74,350 | $248,240 | 300 | 0.09 | 0.53 |
| 31 | Mississippi profile | $51.06 | $106,210 | $63,480 | $256,130 | 40 | 0.04 | 0.21 |
| 32 | Texas profile | $50.49 | $105,020 | $62,870 | $189,320 | 1,750 | 0.12 | 0.72 |
| 33 | Nebraska profile | $49.42 | $102,790 | $61,190 | $161,870 | 270 | 0.26 | 1.51 |
| 34 | Indiana profile | $48.41 | $100,690 | $65,690 | $142,220 | 780 | 0.24 | 1.42 |
| 35 | Michigan profile | $48.38 | $100,640 | $65,240 | $170,450 | 570 | 0.13 | 0.75 |
| 36 | Louisiana profile | $38.88 | $80,860 | $69,790 | $206,870 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.11 |
| – | Georgia profile | * | * | * | * | 1,470 | 0.30 | 1.76 |
| – | Hawaii profile | * | * | * | * | 30 | 0.05 | 0.30 |
| – | South Carolina profile | * | * | * | * | 140 | 0.06 | 0.36 |
Part of Computer and Mathematical Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 15-2011 Actuaries.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 15-2011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 15-2011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.