Actuaries

May 2005 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers

Actuaries: 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 premium rates required and cash reserves necessary to ensure payment of future benefits.

Median annual earnings of actuaries were $76,340 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $54,770 and $107,650. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, annual starting salaries for graduates with a bachelor’s degree in actuarial science averaged $52,741 in 2005. Insurance companies and consulting firms give merit increases to actuaries as they gain experience and pass examinations. Some companies also offer cash bonuses for each professional designation achieved.

Actuaries held about 18,000 jobs in 2004, with 6 out of 10 employed in the insurance industry. A growing number of actuaries work for firms providing a variety of corporate services, especially management and public relations, or for firms offering consulting services. A relatively small number of actuaries are employed by security and commodity brokers or by government agencies.

(from the Occupational Outlook Handbook: Actuaries)

See more recent statistics for employed workers below.

May 2005 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers

National, State, and Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Earnings

Alabama Arizona California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Florida Georgia Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Missouri Nebraska New Hampshire New Jersey New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Wisconsin Puerto Rico
State maximums: employment earnings: mean 10th 25th 50th 75th
Metro maximums: employment earnings: mean 10th 25th 50th

Actuaries
	Percentile annual earnings, $
	10th	25th	50th	75th	90th
National
U.S. employment: 15,770 mean earnings: $90,760	45,660	57,740	81,640	112,360	>$145K
State and Metro Area
Alabama (ACS) (EAG) employment: n.a. mean earnings: $79,490	43,560	51,710	63,510	89,500	>145K
Arizona (ACS) (EAG) employment: n.a. mean earnings: $59,070	45,430	48,590	53,990	63,280	77,630
Phoenix - Mesa - Scottsdale, AZ employment: n.a. mean earnings: $59,390	45,320	48,510	53,970	63,500	81,070
California (ACS) (EAG) employment: 1,010 mean earnings: $91,380	51,220	64,520	83,740	108,290	144,840
Los Angeles - Long Beach - Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division Occupational Outlook Handbookemployment: 190 mean earnings: $101,760	55,960	70,290	89,890	117,370	>145K
Oakland - Fremont - Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division employment: 90 mean earnings: $89,520	59,850	75,690	85,620	100,760	125,640
Oxnard - Thousand Oaks - Ventura, CA employment: 120 mean earnings: $79,880	56,780	63,200	75,480	95,220	114,310
Sacramento - - Arden - Arcade - - Roseville, CA employment: 130 mean earnings: $82,390	46,960	60,650	79,450	102,310	122,070
San Francisco - San Mateo - Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division Occupational Outlook Handbookemployment: 280 mean earnings: $97,520	50,880	62,900	85,730	116,830	>145K
Santa Ana - Anaheim - Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division employment: 110 mean earnings: $86,520	41,740	66,320	84,710	104,880	127,100
Colorado (ACS) (EAG) employment: n.a. mean earnings: $87,990	48,250	61,200	81,870	106,950	137,230
Denver - Aurora, CO employment: n.a. mean earnings: $88,330	48,510	61,330	82,020	107,270	137,780
Connecticut (ACS) (EAG) employment: 1,030 mean earnings: $93,870	49,180	62,390	86,610	117,340	>145K
Bridgeport - Stamford - Norwalk, CT employment: 280 mean earnings: $100,620	51,110	67,880	90,730	129,250	>145K
Hartford - West Hartford - East Hartford, CT employment: 700 mean earnings: $91,050	48,440	60,380	84,220	113,030	>145K
New Haven, CT employment: 40 mean earnings: $97,460	51,220	63,630	91,010	131,930	145,590
District of Columbia (ACS) (EAG) employment: n.a. mean earnings: $76,910	49,070	55,850	70,140	93,610	111,440
Washington - Arlington - Alexandria, DC - VA - MD - WV Metropolitan Division employment: n.a. mean earnings: $78,970	48,540	55,260	70,560	97,270	114,630
Florida (ACS) (EAG) Occupational Outlook Handbookemployment: 500 mean earnings: $79,910	39,080	49,760	73,370	94,620	138,280
Fort Lauderdale - Pompano Beach - Deerfield Beach, FL Metropolitan Division employment: 50 mean earnings: n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.
Jacksonville, FL employment: 30 mean earnings: $95,380	51,960	58,200	101,330	124,500	144,210
Miami - Miami Beach - Kendall, FL Metropolitan Division employment: n.a. mean earnings: $75,240	39,610	46,740	65,740	88,870	125,590
Tampa - St. Petersburg - Clearwater, FL employment: 110 mean earnings: $82,630	42,690	58,450	79,090	94,660	133,280
West Palm Beach - Boca Raton - Boynton Beach, FL Metropolitan Division employment: 50 mean earnings: $138,420	55,290	90,360	138,090	>145K	>145K
Georgia (ACS) (EAG) employment: 380 mean earnings: $82,490	48,520	59,350	75,800	93,440	131,240
Atlanta - Sandy Springs - Marietta, GA employment: 340 mean earnings: $82,530	49,120	59,580	76,040	93,860	130,690
Illinois (ACS) (EAG) employment: 1,140 mean earnings: $97,300	40,020	53,910	86,540	129,620	>145K
Chicago - Naperville - Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division employment: 1,020 mean earnings: $98,130	39,770	53,700	88,090	131,580	>145K
Indiana (ACS) (EAG) employment: 310 mean earnings: $77,020	35,110	51,020	73,480	99,800	118,850
Evansville, IN - KY employment: n.a. mean earnings: $83,780	43,230	73,310	92,020	105,730	113,470
Fort Wayne, IN employment: 80 mean earnings: $78,250	34,950	48,480	70,640	101,530	133,870
Indianapolis - Carmel, IN employment: 140 mean earnings: $80,100	45,310	52,910	72,710	102,500	131,300
Iowa (ACS) (EAG) employment: 380 mean earnings: $81,770	42,090	53,250	74,290	104,860	131,850
Des Moines - West Des Moines, IA employment: 290 mean earnings: $75,370	40,580	50,140	68,730	97,920	118,600
Kansas (ACS) (EAG) employment: 390 mean earnings: $101,470	41,150	52,760	91,090	137,470	>145K
Topeka, KS employment: 70 mean earnings: n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.
Wichita, KS employment: n.a. mean earnings: $71,060	41,900	48,170	56,970	83,850	114,880
Kentucky (ACS) (EAG) employment: 100 mean earnings: $96,760	49,240	58,500	87,100	129,880	>145K
Louisville - Jefferson County, KY - IN employment: 90 mean earnings: $88,610	48,820	57,440	82,200	108,930	140,610
Maryland (ACS) (EAG) employment: 280 mean earnings: $88,620	43,410	58,470	84,970	109,770	139,170
Baltimore - Towson, MD employment: 160 mean earnings: $89,430	43,020	61,160	88,840	109,850	137,280
Bethesda - Gaithersburg - Frederick, MD Metropolitan Division employment: n.a. mean earnings: $88,830	45,400	59,010	81,730	111,300	140,660
Massachusetts (ACS) (EAG) employment: 980 mean earnings: $90,550	48,000	59,250	79,460	111,180	>145K
Boston - Cambridge - Quincy, MA NECTA Division employment: 640 mean earnings: $87,760	46,830	56,990	75,720	108,390	>145K
Springfield, MA - CT employment: n.a. mean earnings: $100,420	54,920	68,760	95,180	120,950	>145K
Worcester, MA - CT employment: 110 mean earnings: $91,230	46,860	59,660	75,390	118,210	>145K
Michigan (ACS) (EAG) employment: 530 mean earnings: $74,320	40,750	53,780	68,100	91,770	118,750
Detroit - Livonia - Dearborn, MI Metropolitan Division employment: 120 mean earnings: $72,920	46,010	52,570	65,550	94,140	116,860
Holland - Grand Haven, MI employment: n.a. mean earnings: $58,570	44,230	52,730	60,380	66,560	70,260
Lansing - East Lansing, MI employment: 50 mean earnings: $78,310	48,820	59,320	76,550	96,970	114,180
Warren - Troy - Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division employment: 120 mean earnings: $80,740	44,640	55,800	72,220	98,150	131,270
Minnesota (ACS) (EAG) employment: 300 mean earnings: $107,500	53,070	73,630	98,370	122,080	>145K
Minneapolis - St. Paul - Bloomington, MN - WI employment: n.a. mean earnings: $111,350	57,040	79,120	101,260	126,450	>145K
Missouri (ACS) (EAG) employment: 420 mean earnings: $103,720	43,920	58,420	90,060	139,810	>145K
Kansas City, MO - KS employment: 420 mean earnings: $92,580	36,330	51,820	83,370	123,720	>145K
St. Louis, MO - IL employment: 240 mean earnings: $116,050	48,620	64,570	100,650	>145K	>145K
Nebraska (ACS) (EAG) employment: 190 mean earnings: $78,440	42,950	53,890	71,820	97,550	125,120
Lincoln, NE employment: 40 mean earnings: $77,700	39,240	46,290	74,710	108,340	132,400
New Hampshire (ACS) (EAG) employment: 70 mean earnings: $84,990	44,140	62,210	76,270	95,070	139,230
Manchester, NH employment: 40 mean earnings: $70,600	45,860	60,440	69,080	82,870	93,330
New Jersey (ACS) (EAG) Occupational Outlook Handbookemployment: 780 mean earnings: $98,310	48,610	60,510	85,980	119,560	>145K
Camden, NJ Metropolitan Division employment: 70 mean earnings: $111,280	53,200	77,760	97,450	138,580	>145K
Edison, NJ Metropolitan Division employment: 270 mean earnings: $108,300	50,790	64,880	90,550	144,910	>145K
Newark - Union, NJ - PA Metropolitan Division employment: 180 mean earnings: $85,070	48,190	56,130	78,390	105,050	135,900
Trenton - Ewing, NJ employment: 150 mean earnings: $81,370	42,700	51,590	70,220	100,390	140,000
New York (ACS) (EAG) employment: 1,460 mean earnings: $104,260	50,690	69,200	95,700	129,110	>145K
Albany - Schenectady - Troy, NY employment: 190 mean earnings: $81,170	47,640	58,530	74,000	90,510	119,330
Binghamton, NY employment: 30 mean earnings: $89,290	33,280	59,070	88,090	124,080	143,640
Buffalo - Niagara Falls, NY employment: 70 mean earnings: $77,930	37,830	44,440	59,040	124,500	144,890
Nassau - Suffolk, NY Metropolitan Division employment: 80 mean earnings: $110,340	53,780	66,270	100,410	145,200	>145K
New York - White Plains - Wayne, NY - NJ Metropolitan Division employment: 1,110 mean earnings: $111,530	55,700	78,660	103,150	137,240	>145K
North Carolina (ACS) (EAG) employment: 250 mean earnings: $86,490	43,160	53,630	80,580	108,300	140,670
Raleigh - Cary, NC employment: 30 mean earnings: $64,680	44,740	49,380	56,540	76,620	101,640
North Dakota (ACS) (EAG) employment: n.a. mean earnings: $70,400	45,330	49,160	55,510	81,890	115,190
Ohio (ACS) (EAG) employment: 540 mean earnings: $74,440	42,280	51,370	72,060	93,300	112,660
Cincinnati - Middletown, OH - KY - IN employment: 180 mean earnings: $75,190	42,600	51,730	68,270	96,910	115,390
Cleveland - Elyria - Mentor, OH employment: n.a. mean earnings: $77,710	43,540	58,800	83,840	94,010	105,880
Columbus, OH employment: 110 mean earnings: $66,490	40,260	46,390	57,390	81,790	108,430
Toledo, OH employment: n.a. mean earnings: $79,410	47,550	57,950	79,190	94,160	123,360
Oregon (ACS) (EAG) employment: 100 mean earnings: $99,130	51,280	63,550	89,830	118,090	>145K
Portland - Vancouver - Beaverton, OR - WA employment: 70 mean earnings: $95,130	50,020	58,750	88,470	119,310	>145K
Pennsylvania (ACS) (EAG) Occupational Outlook Handbookemployment: 1,290 mean earnings: $87,990	48,600	61,690	82,350	109,290	137,480
Allentown - Bethlehem - Easton, PA - NJ employment: n.a. mean earnings: $91,000	47,000	60,480	88,990	116,790	140,750
Harrisburg - Carlisle, PA employment: 170 mean earnings: $87,060	45,780	61,600	81,090	105,050	140,540
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division employment: 740 mean earnings: $88,270	50,820	62,310	83,010	110,050	136,050
Pittsburgh, PA employment: n.a. mean earnings: $87,010	43,320	57,790	79,850	106,700	144,280
Rhode Island (ACS) (EAG) employment: 60 mean earnings: $74,340	43,590	51,580	65,040	94,560	120,890
Providence - Fall River - Warwick, RI - MA employment: 70 mean earnings: $74,260	44,190	51,660	65,040	95,500	119,590
Tennessee (ACS) (EAG) employment: 250 mean earnings: $84,020	39,050	48,820	81,650	105,630	138,580
Chattanooga, TN - GA employment: 110 mean earnings: $91,050	46,080	66,360	92,520	115,740	137,460
Memphis, TN - MS - AR employment: n.a. mean earnings: $69,320	38,820	42,180	75,540	86,390	92,900
Nashville - Davidson - - Murfreesboro, TN employment: 50 mean earnings: $92,880	35,080	53,330	74,200	117,620	>145K
Texas (ACS) (EAG) employment: 900 mean earnings: $99,390	45,890	60,720	93,380	121,780	>145K
Austin - Round Rock, TX employment: 150 mean earnings: $115,380	35,250	50,870	105,160	>145K	>145K
Dallas - Plano - Irving, TX Metropolitan Division employment: 280 mean earnings: $120,340	58,220	74,180	111,340	>145K	>145K
Fort Worth - Arlington, TX Metropolitan Division employment: n.a. mean earnings: $79,060	39,350	53,870	83,760	105,270	113,770
Houston - Sugar Land - Baytown, TX employment: 70 mean earnings: $81,500	46,060	54,180	71,970	101,010	135,710
Utah (ACS) (EAG) employment: 150 mean earnings: $87,730	44,000	52,360	69,770	106,870	>145K
Salt Lake City, UT employment: 140 mean earnings: $89,340	44,940	53,410	71,010	109,120	>145K
Vermont (ACS) (EAG) employment: 30 mean earnings: $63,750	39,980	45,050	59,160	72,430	106,030
Virginia (ACS) (EAG) employment: 100 mean earnings: $82,480	46,300	53,190	73,220	106,920	131,600
Wisconsin (ACS) (EAG) employment: 560 mean earnings: $92,400	48,580	60,550	79,910	111,050	>145K
Green Bay, WI employment: 40 mean earnings: $76,270	40,870	50,170	72,650	101,380	119,270
Madison, WI employment: 160 mean earnings: $77,180	46,380	56,780	70,110	94,190	111,950
Milwaukee - Waukesha - West Allis, WI Occupational Outlook Handbookemployment: 220 mean earnings: $112,230	59,370	69,260	93,200	>145K	>145K
Puerto Rico (ACS) (EAG) employment: 70 mean earnings: $68,440	34,110	45,670	55,430	83,680	115,440
San Juan - Caguas - Guaynabo, PR employment: 70 mean earnings: $67,050	34,010	45,460	55,010	81,840	108,150

source: Occupational Employment Statistics Program; about these estimates

The highlighted text indicates the maximum values in each column among the states and metropolitan areas.

The (ACS) links lead to data from the American Community Survey from the Census Bureau.

The (EAG) links lead to U.S. Economy at a Glance data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.