Hiring Actuaries
Employers across the 53 metro areas we have BLS OEWS wage data for pay actuaries a median of $81,670 to $175,330 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A search through recruitlocalpros runs Tier I to Tier VI, $6,240 to $54,340, set by seniority, never by location or salary. Our vetted recruiting partner handles sourcing, screening and placement end to end.
What do actuaries do?
- Ascertain premium rates required and cash reserves and liabilities necessary to ensure payment of future benefits.
- Collaborate with programmers, underwriters, accounts, claims experts, and senior management to help companies develop plans for new lines of business or improvements to existing business.
- Analyze statistical information to estimate mortality, accident, sickness, disability, and retirement rates.
- Design, review, and help administer insurance, annuity and pension plans, determining financial soundness and calculating premiums.
- Determine, or help determine, company policy, and explain complex technical matters to company executives, government officials, shareholders, policyholders, or the public.
- Construct probability tables for events such as fires, natural disasters, and unemployment, based on analysis of statistical data and other pertinent information.
Core tasks, O*NET OnLine, 15-2011.00.
What does it take to become one?
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
O*NET Job Zone 4, SVP (7.0 to < 8.0). O*NET OnLine.
Employers commonly list experience with Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Power BI, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications VBA, Python for this role.
What do actuaries get paid?
BLS OEWS, May 2025 publishes a wage for actuaries in 53 of the metro areas in this build. The median ranges from $81,670 to $175,330 a year depending on the metro, with a midpoint of $126,950. This is what employers pay, place of work, not a single national figure and not what any one person takes home.
BLS OEWS, BLS OEWS, May 2025, SOC 15-2011.
What does hiring one cost?
The same as any role: tier, not location or salary, sets the fee. Across all six tiers the published range is $6,240 to $54,340 per search. For scale, the highest published median for actuaries in this build is $175,330. A contingency firm hiring at that level would bill roughly $35,066 to $52,599 on the first year salary alone, 20 to 30%.
Frequently asked
- How fast can a actuaries search fill?
- 23 to 35 days, 2 to 3x faster than a typical contingency search, per the recruiting provider's published figures.
- What if the hire does not work out?
- A 45-day replacement guarantee, at 50% off a repeat search for the same role.
Price a actuaries search
Eight questions about the role. Your tier range appears on screen, with the contingency comparison if you are paying one now.