Life Actuary Salary in the United States

How much does a Life Actuary make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Life Actuary in the United States is $82,390 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $40.

However, a Life Actuary's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $97,993
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $74,949 to $90,557
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $68,175
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View as table View as graph 25% $74,949 10% $68,175 90% $97,993 75% $90,557 $82,390 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Life Actuary Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $90,557 $7,546 $1,741 $44
Average $82,390 $6,866 $1,584 $40
25th Percentile $74,949 $6,246 $1,441 $36
Check out Life Actuary Job Openings in the United States
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Key Factors That Influence Life Actuary Salaries

A Life Actuary's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Life Actuary Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Life Actuary's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $81,790
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $91,171
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $107,071
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $142,509
  • Expert (over 8 years): $166,928
Levels Salary
Life Actu... Level Life Actuary$81,790
Actuary I... Level Life Actuary$91,171
Actuary I... Level Life Actuary$107,071
Actuary I... Level Life Actuary$142,509
Actuary V... Level Life Actuary$166,928
$81,790 0 yr
$91,171 < 2 yrs
$107,071 2-4 yrs
$142,509 5-8 yrs
$166,928 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Life Actuaries

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $103,919
  • San Francisco: $102,781
  • Oakland: $100,615

What Skills Can Increase a Life Actuary's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 9.91% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Economics (Mentioned in 2.2% Job Postings): Economics is a social science that focuses on the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, and analyzes the choices that individuals, businesses, governments, and nations make to allocate resources.
  • Collective Bargaining (Mentioned in 1.06% Job Postings): Collective bargaining is a process of negotiation between employers and a group of employees aimed at agreements to regulate working salaries, working conditions, benefits, and other aspects of workers' compensation and rights for workers. The interests of the employees are commonly presented by representatives of a trade union to which the employees belong. The collective agreements reached by these negotiations usually set out wage scales, working hours, training, health and safety, overtime, grievance mechanisms, and rights to participate in workplace or company affairs. The union may negotiate with a single employer (who is typically representing a company's shareholders) or may negotiate with a group of businesses, depending on the country, to reach an industry-wide agreement. A collective agreement functions as a labour contract between an employer and one or more unions. Collective bargaining consists of the process of negotiation between representatives of a union and employers (generally represented by management, or, in some countries such as Austria, Sweden and the Netherlands, by an employers' organization) in respect of the terms and conditions of employment of employees, such as wages, hours of work, working conditions, grievance procedures, and about the rights and responsibilities of trade unions. The parties often refer to the result of the negotiation as a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) or as a collective employment agreement (CEA).
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 9.91%
Economics 2.2%
Collective Bargaining 1.06%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Life Actuary's salary.
  • SAS/SQL: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Time Management: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Coaching: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
SAS/SQL
$88,158
7%
Time Management
$87,334
6%
Coaching
$87,334
6%
Communication Skills
$84,862
3%
Reinsurance
$84,862
3%
Products and Services
$84,862
3%
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Life Actuary Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Life Actuary roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 80% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 40% above the average. In contrast, Life Actuary positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Life Actuary as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Life Actuary

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services$115,346$55.040%
Pharmaceuticals$107,107$51.030%
Software & Networking$102,988$50.025%
Aerospace & Defense$94,749$46.015%
Energy & Utilities$90,629$44.010%

How Education impacts a Life Actuary's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Life Actuaries enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Life Actuary with a Associate's Degree is between $75,555 and $80,541).

Life Actuary Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Life Actuary
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.7%
High School 8.9%
Associates 3.9%
Bachelors 64.0%
Masters 20.5%
Doctorate 2.1%
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Life Actuary Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Life Actuary's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Life Actuary

Salaries for a Life Actuary can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $76,591 in 2023 to around $75,653 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Life Actuary salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Life Actuary Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$76,591
2024
$76,658
2025
$75,653
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $76,591
2024 $76,658
2025 $75,653
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Life Actuary

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Life Actuary

Here are companies hiring for Life Actuary and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Life Actuary Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Life Actuary job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Associate Vice President, Internal Communications. About the Company. National consulting & advisory services firm focused on the healthcare industry. Indu... more

    20 Days Ago

  • C.R. England

    Columbus, OH

    C.R. England | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. C.R. England is Now Urgently Hiring Local Dedicated CDL-A Truck Drivers. \n. Dedicated Local Fleet - Home Daily - Competitive Pay* - Full ... more

    25 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Vice President, Credit Risk Strategy & Data Science. About the Company. High-growth SMB lender building the next generation of credit decisioning. Industry... more

    25 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Vice President, Payments Engineering. About the Company. Globally-recognized provider of corporate payment solutions. Industry. Financial Services. Type. P... more

    27 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Senior Vice President of Project Delivery. About the Company. A multi-billion-dollar construction organization with collaborative, servant-minded leadershi... more

    27 Days Ago

  • USPS

    Columbus, OH

    USPS | Columbus, OH

    The United States Postal Service (USPS) is seeking Mail Carriers and City Carrier Assistants (CCA) to deliver mail and packages to residential and business... more

    1 Month Ago

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FAQ about Life Actuary

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Life Actuary?

The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Life Actuary roles, with salaries approximately 40% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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