Actuary Salary in United States

Actuary Salary Table

Salary by Experience

Tax & Cost of Living

Demand Outlook

What Actuarys Make in United States

The middle 50% of actuarys in United States earn between $110,000 and $159,000 a year, with the median at $131,000. Where you fall in that range depends mostly on three things: years of experience, employer type, and specialization. Because a large share of this work can be done remotely, professionals in United States increasingly compete for — and win — roles paying closer to international rates, which stretches the top of the local range upward.

United States vs the World

Converted to US dollars, the median actuary salary in United States is $131,000 — 109% of what the same role pays in the United States ($120,000). The highest-paying countries we track for this role are Singapore ($201,155), Ireland ($183,926), Qatar ($175,549). Keep in mind that higher-paying markets usually pair with higher living costs, so net purchasing power gaps are smaller than the headline numbers.

Salary Growth by Experience

Experience pays in this field: entry-level roles average $89,300, mid-career professionals earn a median of $131,000, and senior specialists reach $181,000+. That is a 2.0x span from first job to senior level. In United States, the biggest single jumps typically come from switching employers rather than internal raises — a pattern consistent across most markets we track.

Job Market Outlook for Actuarys

Demand for actuarys in United States is solid, scoring 76/100 on our demand index. About 65% of positions in this field can be performed remotely or in hybrid arrangements, which widens the effective job market for candidates in United States beyond national borders. For job seekers this tilts negotiating leverage toward candidates: multiple offers are realistic, and counter-offers are common.

What Inflation Does to Your Salary

Inflation in United States is a modest 2.9%, so nominal salary figures translate fairly directly into stable purchasing power. Raises above 2.9% represent genuine real-terms gains.

What It Takes to Become a Actuary

Most employers expect bachelor's degree plus actuarial exams (soa/cas). Day to day, the skills that consistently correlate with higher pay in this field are probability and statistics, risk modeling, insurance products — and, at senior levels, programming (r/python) and communication. In interviews, evidence beats credentials: portfolios, measurable outcomes, and references matter more to the final offer than the certificate list.

Where This Role Can Lead

Actuarys commonly pivot into roles like Financial Analyst, Data Scientist, Accountant, either to specialize or to chase stronger demand. If pay growth in your current track stalls, comparing medians across these adjacent roles is a good first step.