Day in the life
A Day in the Life of an Actuary
What actuaries actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for an actuary?
Review claims experience. From there, the day usually includes analyze risk data, price insurance products, and set reserves. Full time, with study time for exams.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for an actuary working full time.
- Review claims experience.
- Update a pricing model.
- Meet underwriting about rates.
- Calculate reserves.
- Present to product managers.
- Document assumptions.
- Study for the next exam.
Where actuaries work
Actuaries work in offices, and many work remotely.
Hours and schedule
Full time, with study time for exams.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Analyze risk data
- Price insurance products
- Set reserves
- Value pension plans
- Build models
- Present findings
- Study for professional exams
Tools you’ll use every day
- Excel
- R or Python
- SQL
- Actuarial software
- SAS
- Business intelligence tools
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Much faster-than-average growth
- High pay
- Low unemployment
- Remote options
What’s hard
- Years of hard exams
- Desk-heavy work
- Pressure on assumptions
- Studying while working
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I love math
- I’m persistent
- I like predicting outcomes
- I can study for years
- I like business problems
- I want high pay
Not sure? Take the free Actuary fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Follow actuarial standards of practice
- Protect confidential data
- Document assumptions
- Disclose limitations