Hiring guide · Business & Office
How to Hire an Actuary
Pay benchmarks, qualifications, sourcing, screening and interview questions for hiring actuaries, plus a plan to get them productive fast.
Write a clear job description, offer competitive pay (the national median is $130,000), recruit through community college business programs and career centers, verify ASA or FSA where applicable, run a structured interview with a practical skills check, and onboard with a 30-60-90 day plan.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
The hiring market for actuaries
There are about 31,200 actuaries employed in the U.S., with roughly 1,500 openings each year. Employment is projected to change +9.2% from 2025–35 (much faster than average). Expect competition for qualified candidates: speed and a strong offer matter.
Pay benchmarks for offers
| Candidate level | Annual | Hourly* |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level (10th–25th percentile) | $78,570–$97,680 | $37.77–$46.96 |
| Typical / mid-career (median) | $130,000 | $62.50 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $170,650 | $82.04 |
| Top of market (90th percentile) | $215,100 | $103.41 |
*Annual ÷ 2,080 hours except median. National BLS data; adjust for your state and metro area. Many states and cities now require pay ranges in job postings.
What to look for
Must-haves
- Bachelor's degree (typical entry level)
- Probability and statistics
- Persistence
Nice-to-haves
- ASA or FSA
- ACAS or FCAS
- Enrolled Actuary
- Experience with excel
Where to find actuaries
- Community college business programs and career centers
- Professional associations (such as SHRM, PMI and state CPA societies)
- LinkedIn and niche job boards
- Internal promotion from front-line roles
- Job postings that use common alternate titles: Life Actuary, Pension Actuary, Property and Casualty Actuary, Actuarial Analyst
Screening checklist
- A skills assessment (Excel, writing or role software)
- Credential verification (CPA, PMP, SHRM-CP, paralegal certificate)
- Reference checks focused on reliability and accuracy
- A structured interview with a short work sample
Follow federal, state and local rules on background checks, drug testing and fair-chance hiring, and apply screening consistently to all candidates for the role.
Interview questions to ask
Ask every candidate the same questions and score answers on a structured scorecard.
1. “What exams have you passed?”
What a strong answer includes: List.
2. “Explain a model you built.”
What a strong answer includes: Explain.
3. “How do you communicate results?”
What a strong answer includes: Share.
4. “What programming do you know?”
What a strong answer includes: List.
5. “Why actuarial work?”
What a strong answer includes: Share.
Practical skills checks
A short demonstration beats a perfect resume. Ask candidates to talk you through, or perform under supervision, tasks such as:
- Plan Your Path Through Actuarial Exams (see the steps)
- Estimate Claims Not Yet Reported (see the steps)
- Explain an Actuarial Result to Executives (see the steps)
Red flags
- Can’t describe basic safety practices for the role
- Vague or inconsistent work history with no explanation
- Unfamiliar with core terms such as Mortality table, Reserve, Premium
- Negative talk about every past employer or coworker
Onboard for retention
The first 90 days decide whether a new hire stays. Use our Actuary 30-60-90 day onboarding plan and give every new hire the same foundation with Actuary training. Show them the path forward: Actuarial Analyst → Associate (ASA/ACAS) → Fellow (FSA/FCAS) → Chief Actuary.
Hiring actuaries: FAQ
How much should I pay an actuary?
The U.S. median wage for actuaries is $130,000 per year ($62.50/hour), according to BLS May 2025 data. Entry-level offers often fall near the 25th percentile ($97,680), while experienced hires command closer to the 75th percentile ($170,650). Adjust for your local market.
What qualifications should an actuary have?
BLS lists “bachelor's degree” as the typical entry-level education. Look for ASA or FSA and ACAS or FCAS where relevant, plus skills such as probability and statistics, financial math, and modeling.
How long does it take to train a new actuary?
Becoming qualified typically takes Several years of exams while working. After hire, plan for a structured 30-60-90 day onboarding period; BLS classifies on-the-job training for this occupation as “long-term on-the-job training.”