Intelligence Brief Business Sector
Actuarial Science
Bachelor's · 4 years
B-
Scorecard
- $120,000
- Median salary
- 23%
- Projected growth
- 63/100
- Difficulty
- 4
- Career paths
AI Resilience 60
Overall Score 66
CollegeRanker Degree Outlook Score™
68
out of 100 · B+
Strong Outlook
Composite of earnings, projected growth, demand gap, AI resilience, career breadth, and remote flexibility — CollegeRanker's proprietary degree outlook model.
Supply vs Demand
High DemandMarket Demand80
Graduate Supply20
Demand outpaces graduate supply — projected 23% occupational growth (much faster than average).
Salary Trajectory
~5.8%/yrModeled from BLS median wage and occupational growth. Dashed bars are forecast. Illustrative, not a guarantee.
Where Graduates Work
Common Employers
- Deloitte
- PwC
- EY
- JPMorgan Chase
- Goldman Sachs
- McKinsey
- Bank of America
- Accenture
Representative employers that commonly hire Business graduates — illustrative of where graduates concentrate, not a guarantee.
Industry Mix
- Financial Services 31%
- Consulting 22%
- Technology 16%
- Retail & Consumer 12%
- Manufacturing 10%
- Other 9%
Estimated distribution of Business graduates across hiring industries.
Executive Summary
- Actuarial Science scores 66/100 (B-), reflecting a balanced profile among bachelor's programs.
- Median salary of $120,000 reflects competitive earning potential.
- Projected growth of 23% significantly outpaces the national average.
- AI resilience score of 60 indicates moderate disruption risk across associated careers.
Actuarial Science scores 66/100 — B-. The strongest dimension is growth (81/100), followed by remote potential (70/100). The biggest challenge: salary (60/100).
Research Insights
- Conditional Future-proof
Actuarial Science is conditionally future-proof (66/100). The degree offers solid fundamentals but growth in some career pathways is slower than average. Strategic specialization can strengthen long-term positioning.
Score 66 /100 - Decent ROI
Actuarial Science offers a moderate ROI (57/100). Salary outcomes are competitive but the path to maximum earning requires additional credentials or specialization.
Score 57 /100 - Moderate Career Breadth
Actuarial Science offers moderate career breadth (60/100). The 4 identified career paths provide options, but mobility across fields may require additional credentials or experience.
Score 60 /100
Decision Intelligence
Actuarial Science offers solid potential but requires strategic execution — the right concentration, school, and internships matter significantly to the outcome.
Who Benefits Most
Students who value career stability and meet the academic prerequisites. Students who pair this degree with internships and networking outperform peers. The moderate AI risk makes it important to specialize.
Who Should Think Twice
Individuals who dislike mathematics or analytical thinking may find this degree challenging and unsatisfying. Additionally, those seeking immediate job placement without a commitment to further education or exam preparation may struggle to find suitable roles.
Student Archetypes
- The Math Enthusiast Recommended
This student loves numbers and problem-solving, often excelling in math and statistics. They are motivated to pursue a career in risk management and are willing to invest time in studying for actuarial exams.
Economic Importance
Actuarial Science is vital for industries like insurance, finance, and pension management, which rely heavily on risk assessment and management. The market values actuaries for their ability to quantify risk and provide financial stability, especially in an increasingly complex economic landscape.
Scorecard Analysis
Our proprietary scorecard evaluates degrees across five dimensions from BLS wage and growth data, O*NET work context, and standard education requirements.
Strong earning potential
Exceptional growth trajectory
Moderate barrier
Moderate remote compatibility
Less competitive
Difficulty Score
63/100
Composite reflecting the combined demands of salary, growth, barrier, remote compatibility, and competition.
AI Resilience Assessment
Automation risk for careers linked to this degree.
Actuarial Science faces moderate AI disruption risk (60/100). While AI will automate routine components within many associated careers, core responsibilities still require human oversight and strategic thinking. Upskilling in AI collaboration tools is recommended.
- Domain expertise from this degree provides some protection against full automation.
- AI can handle routine reporting, data aggregation, and first-pass analysis in many associated careers.
- Risk factor: entry-level roles in fields linked to this degree may face headcount reduction as AI handles more data processing.
Intelligence Deep Dive
-
Reality Check
The path to becoming a fully qualified actuary is long and rigorous, often requiring several years to pass multiple exams. Many students may not anticipate the level of commitment and persistence needed to succeed in this field.
-
Hiring Market Signal
The demand for actuaries is strong, with a projected growth rate of 23%, indicating a hot job market. Employers are looking for candidates who not only have strong technical skills but also effective communication abilities to convey complex analyses.
-
Risk Factors
- High educational costs leading to significant student debt
- Intense competition for entry-level positions
- Automation in data analysis potentially impacting job availability
- Market fluctuations affecting job stability in finance and insurance
- Concentration of job opportunities in specific geographic areas
-
ROI Timeline
Typically, graduates can expect to recoup their investment within 5-10 years, contingent on their starting salary and any student debt. Factors such as geographic location and job market conditions will also play a significant role in the timeline.
What You'll Study
The curriculum combines mathematics, statistics, and financial principles, uniquely preparing students for the rigorous demands of actuarial exams and real-world risk assessment. This comprehensive approach equips graduates with essential analytical skills for various roles in risk management.
In an Actuarial Science program, students typically start with foundational courses in calculus, statistics, and economics. As they progress, coursework becomes more specialized, often including advanced topics like financial mathematics, actuarial modeling, and risk management. Students may also engage in projects that require them to apply theoretical concepts to real-world data.
Internships are a critical component of the experience, providing hands-on learning opportunities in insurance companies or financial institutions. These practical experiences help students understand the industry's demands and develop their professional networks, which can be essential for landing a job post-graduation.
Typical Curriculum
- Probability
- Financial Mathematics
- Statistics
- Economics
- Actuarial Exam Prep
- Risk Theory
- Life Contingencies
- Loss Models
Career Pipeline
From entry to executive.
Entry-Level
- Actuarial Analyst
- Risk Analyst
- Insurance Underwriter
- Data Analyst
- Pricing Analyst
Mid-Career
- Senior Actuary
- Risk Manager
- Insurance Product Manager
- Consultant
- Actuarial Associate
Advanced
- Chief Actuary
- Director of Risk Management
- Vice President of Insurance
- Senior Consultant
Pipeline Insight
Graduates typically begin in entry-level positions where they gain experience and work towards certification. Those who advance successfully often demonstrate strong analytical abilities and effective communication skills, while those who stall may struggle with exam completion or lack of strategic networking.
Career Outcomes
Graduates with a degree in Actuarial Science often pursue careers as actuaries, risk analysts, insurance product managers, or pricing analysts. The demand for these professionals is projected to grow by 23% over the next decade, driven by the increasing complexity of financial products and the need for risk assessment in various sectors. This robust job growth translates to a competitive earning potential, with median salaries around $120,000.
- Actuary
- Risk Analyst
- Insurance Product Manager
- Pricing Analyst
Compensation Context
With a median salary of $120,000, compensation for actuaries reflects the high demand for their specialized skills and the limited supply of qualified professionals. Geographic location can influence pay significantly, with urban centers often offering higher salaries due to increased demand and cost of living.
Alternative Routes
Similar or competing pathways students consider alongside Actuarial Science:
- Statistics
- Mathematics
- Finance
- Economics
- Data Science
Getting In & Timeline
Typical time to complete: 4 years full-time
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Strong background in mathematics and statistics
- Recommended coursework in calculus and economics
Advice
To succeed in this field, it's beneficial to pass several actuarial exams during your studies, which can enhance employability.
Is This Degree Worth It?
This degree can offer a solid ROI, particularly for those who excel in quantitative subjects and are committed to passing actuarial exams. However, students should be cautious of potential debt and the time investment required for certification, which may delay financial returns.
Schools With Strong Outcomes in Business
Ranked by median graduate earnings 10 years after enrollment. Schools grouped into tiers by outcome level.
Top Tier2schools
Strong Outcomes2schools
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Methodology & Data Sources
Every score, grade, and verdict on this page is built from a consistent framework designed to answer one question: what is the expected return on this degree?
Scorecard dimensions. We evaluate programs on five proprietary axes — Salary, Job Growth, Education Barrier, Remote/Online Compatibility, and Competition — each normalized to a 0–100 scale. The Overall Score is a weighted composite: salary (30%), job growth (20%), AI resilience (15%), barrier proximity (15%), competition inverse (10%), and career breadth (10%). Letter grades follow a standard scale from A+ (95+) down to F.
AI Resilience. Measures automation risk across the degree's associated career pathways. Each degree receives a category-level baseline adjusted upward for AI-adjacent fields (e.g., machine learning, computer science) and downward for fields with higher routine-task exposure. The score represents the degree's resistance to labor-market disruption, not a prediction of elimination.
Verdict scores. Future-Proof, ROI, and Career Breadth are secondary composites weighting AI resilience, growth, salary, barrier, and career count to answer specific decision questions: is this career durable (Future-Proof), financially worthwhile (ROI), and flexible (Career Breadth)?
Data sources. Salary and growth figures are drawn from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (O*NET) and the Occupational Outlook Handbook (2023–2033 projections). Education requirement data and work context scores come from O*NET 28.2. School-level earnings data is sourced from the Opportunity Insights Economic Tracker (median earnings 10 years after enrollment, based on federal tax records). Program rankings and school lists reflect CollegeRanker's proprietary classification and filtering methodology.
This page is built on disclosed, reproducible data. No affiliate bias, no survey-based rankings, no undisclosed weighting.
Data Behind This Page Updated 2025
Source datasets
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2023–2033 projections
- O*NET 28.2 — education requirements and work-context data
- Opportunity Insights — earnings 10 years after enrollment (federal tax records)
Methodology
Degrees are scored on five normalized axes — salary (30%), job growth (20%), AI resilience (15%), education barrier (15%), and competition (10%), plus career breadth (10%) — each on a 0–100 scale.
See the full methodology and weights →Confidence notes
- Salary and growth figures come from federal Bureau of Labor Statistics data — administrative wage records and official projections, not surveys.
- AI-resilience scores are computed from O*NET task and work-context data, applied consistently across every program.
- Every measure is normalized to a fixed 0–100 scale, so degrees are directly comparable.
Limitations
- BLS wage data reflect national medians; actual pay varies widely by region, employer, and experience.
- Job growth is a 2023–2033 projection, not a guarantee — labor markets shift with technology and the economy.
- AI-resilience is a directional estimate of automation exposure, not a prediction about any specific role.
- Figures describe typical outcomes for the field, not a promise for any individual graduate.
