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How Much Does an Actuary Make?

An actuary in the US earns a median salary of $130,000 a year, or $62.50 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $141,480, and the middle half earn between $97,680 and $170,650.

Median a year $130,000
Median an hour $62.50
Median a month $10,833
Average a year $141,480

Actuary pay range

What actuaries earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $78,570 $37.77
25th $97,680 $46.96
Median (50th) $130,000 $62.50
75th $170,650 $82.04
90th (top 10%) $215,100 $103.41

The median is 155% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 26,670 people work as actuaries in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$2,500
Every two weeks
$5,000
Twice a month
$5,417
A month
$10,833

At the median salary, before tax.

Actuary salary by state

Sorted by average pay. Connecticut pays actuaries the most, at $164,640 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
Connecticut $164,640 $166,800 1,380 After tax
District of Columbia $164,460 $166,230 160 After tax
New York $161,670 $156,480 2,630 After tax
New Jersey $152,850 $142,800 1,260 After tax
California $145,330 $130,510 1,280 After tax
Washington $141,300 $134,720 360 After tax
Virginia $140,780 $131,900 440 After tax
Arizona $139,740 $135,870 200 After tax
Minnesota $138,000 $128,100 1,170 After tax
Florida $136,940 $132,110 1,300 After tax
Tennessee $136,800 $108,930 300 After tax
Nevada $136,290 $132,370 120 After tax
Missouri $135,890 $129,220 390 After tax
Oregon $135,420 $130,380 210 After tax
Kansas $135,160 $125,010 180 After tax
Wisconsin $134,490 $131,640 890 After tax
Maryland $133,930 $126,950 580 After tax
Pennsylvania $133,290 $125,040 1,710 After tax
Utah $131,390 $132,720 180 After tax
Mississippi $130,950 $106,210 40 After tax
Massachusetts $130,710 $126,040 – After tax
Illinois $129,580 $115,430 2,280 After tax
Colorado $129,530 $120,440 500 After tax
Kentucky $129,150 $120,400 70 After tax
North Carolina $128,500 $128,730 610 After tax
Maine $125,740 $119,620 80 After tax
Iowa $125,370 $128,690 530 After tax
Alabama $124,290 $136,950 190 After tax
Rhode Island $123,510 $111,090 100 After tax
Ohio $121,730 $110,980 1,090 After tax
Oklahoma $120,410 $109,760 70 After tax
Texas $119,110 $105,020 1,750 After tax
Nebraska $112,580 $102,790 270 After tax
Louisiana $110,420 $80,860 40 After tax
Michigan $108,630 $100,640 570 After tax
Indiana $104,990 $100,690 780 After tax
Puerto Rico $77,320 $68,100 30

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other computer and mathematical jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Actuaries” (SOC 15-2011). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an actuary make an hour?

The median hourly wage for an actuary is $62.50, and the average is $68.02. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $37.77 an hour and the top 10% over $103.41.

How much does an actuary make a month?

At the median salary of $130,000, an actuary earns about $10,833 a month before tax, or $5,000 every two weeks.

Which state pays actuaries the most?

Connecticut has the highest average pay for an actuary, at $164,640 a year. Next are District of Columbia and New York. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for an actuary?

The lowest-paid 10% of actuaries earn less than $78,570 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $97,680. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid actuaries make?

The top 10% earn more than $215,100 a year, and the top 25% more than $170,650.