Actuary salary in the U.S.
Actuaries in the U.S. earn a median of $130,000 a year ($62.50 an hour), based on BLS data for 26,670 workers.
Pay ranges from $78,570 for the lowest-paid 10% to $215,100 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $141,480, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for actuaries in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $78,570 | $37.77 |
| 25th percentile | $97,680 | $46.96 |
| Median | $130,000 | $62.50 |
| 75th percentile | $170,650 | $82.04 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $215,100 | $103.41 |
| Average (mean) | $141,480 | $68.02 |
Half of actuaries earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $10,833.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $5,416.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $5,000 |
| Weekly | $2,500 |
| Hourly | $62.50 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Actuary salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $166,800 | 1,380 |
| District of Columbia | $166,230 | 160 |
| New York | $156,480 | 2,630 |
| New Jersey | $142,800 | 1,260 |
| Alabama | $136,950 | 190 |
| Arizona | $135,870 | 200 |
| Washington | $134,720 | 360 |
| Utah | $132,720 | 180 |
| Nevada | $132,370 | 120 |
| Florida | $132,110 | 1,300 |
| Virginia | $131,900 | 440 |
| Wisconsin | $131,640 | 890 |
| California | $130,510 | 1,280 |
| Oregon | $130,380 | 210 |
| Missouri | $129,220 | 390 |
| North Carolina | $128,730 | 610 |
| Iowa | $128,690 | 530 |
| Minnesota | $128,100 | 1,170 |
| Maryland | $126,950 | 580 |
| Massachusetts | $126,040 | n/a |
| Pennsylvania | $125,040 | 1,710 |
| Kansas | $125,010 | 180 |
| Colorado | $120,440 | 500 |
| Kentucky | $120,400 | 70 |
| Maine | $119,620 | 80 |
| Illinois | $115,430 | 2,280 |
| Rhode Island | $111,090 | 100 |
| Ohio | $110,980 | 1,090 |
| Oklahoma | $109,760 | 70 |
| Tennessee | $108,930 | 300 |
| Mississippi | $106,210 | 40 |
| Texas | $105,020 | 1,750 |
| Nebraska | $102,790 | 270 |
| Indiana | $100,690 | 780 |
| Michigan | $100,640 | 570 |
| Louisiana | $80,860 | 40 |
| Puerto Rico | $68,100 | 30 |
Best-paying metro areas for actuaries
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $194,130 | 220 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $175,330 | 220 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $166,800 | 960 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $163,350 | 80 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $161,460 | 2,780 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $144,680 | 520 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $143,430 | 30 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $142,180 | 120 |
| New Haven, CT | $141,020 | 40 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $139,810 | 310 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $138,570 | 170 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $138,220 | 50 |
| Madison, WI | $135,330 | 170 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $134,720 | 230 |
| Columbia, SC | $133,060 | 80 |
Metro areas with the most actuaries
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 2,780 | $161,460 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,560 | $113,730 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,020 | $125,960 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 960 | $166,800 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 780 | $127,770 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 520 | $144,680 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 510 | $127,690 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 490 | $101,040 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 400 | $120,440 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 400 | $130,540 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 390 | $81,670 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 380 | $127,970 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 350 | $106,490 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 340 | $126,950 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 340 | $108,770 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Data Scientist | $120,230 | $57.80 |
| Operations Research Analyst | $88,940 | $42.76 |
| Statistician | $105,650 | $50.79 |
| Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | $81,490 | $39.18 |
| Mathematician | $126,710 | $60.92 |
| Software Developer | $135,980 | $65.38 |
| Computer User Support Specialist | $61,860 | $29.74 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $105,850 | $50.89 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $116,580 | $56.05 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $99,130 | $47.66 |
| Information Security Analyst | $129,180 | $62.11 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $104,300 | $50.14 |
| Computer Network Architect | $134,050 | $64.45 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | $76,220 | $36.64 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 15-2011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a actuary make in the U.S.?
The median salary for actuaries in the U.S. is $130,000 a year, or $62.50 an hour. Pay ranges from $78,570 for the lowest-paid 10% to $215,100 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid actuaries make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of actuaries in the U.S. earn at least $215,100 a year. The top 25% earn $170,650 or more.
What is the starting pay for actuaries in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $78,570 a year, and a quarter of actuaries earn $97,680 or less.
How many actuaries work in the U.S.?
About 26,670 actuaries are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.