ACActuary
AC
Career

Actuary

By the numbers
Typical pay
$130,000 / yr
Education to start
Bachelor's degree
Future demand
+21.8% by 2034
People in this job
27K
Figures shown for ·closest of 2 O*NET occupations
The work
A day, hour by hour
08:30
Data pull & triage

Download fresh claims data; scan for gaps or anomalies before modeling starts.

09:00
Model run

Feed updated data into the pricing model; watch whether outputs match expectations.

10:00
Assumption review

Flag one mortality assumption that looks too conservative — decide whether to keep it.

11:00
Reserve check

Verify that projected reserves still clear the regulatory minimum; document the rationale.

13:00
Stress test

Run a worst-case scenario through the model; see how bad the losses could get.

14:30
Exec briefing

Translate the risk findings into plain language; keep the room before eyes glaze over.

15:30
Exam study block

Grind through practice problems for the next professional exam — still years to go.

16:30
Wrap & document

Write up model changes and decisions made today so the audit trail is clean.

Things you do
  • Build mathematical models that predict how likely bad events are.
  • Calculate how much money an insurer needs to cover future claims.
  • Dig through massive datasets to spot hidden patterns and trends.
  • Set prices for insurance policies so the company doesn't lose money.
  • Translate complex risk findings into plain advice for executives.
Decisions you’ll make
  • Does my model's output reflect reality, or is the data misleading me?
  • Should I flag this assumption as too conservative, or is the risk real enough to keep it?
  • Is this result precise enough to act on, or do I need to dig deeper?
  • Can I explain this finding in plain terms, or am I about to lose the room?
  • Should I push back on what the business wants, or is this a reasonable tradeoff?
Education Pathways · how you get there
100 in 100 went the college route · 0 in 100 found another way in None, typically
Education mapped from O*NET:
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