What is a pricing actuary and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
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The job of a pricing actuary basically boils down to being very good at The Price is Right. Statisticians by trade, pricing actuaries work with finance, investment, and insurance companies to determine the pricing of their products. They do this through market data analysis and thorough risk calculation.

Because the work involves complicated computations and mathematical concepts, most employers require their pricing actuaries to have at least a bachelor's degree in statistics, mathematics, economics, or other similar fields of study. Some even are doctorates--about one in ten pricing actuaries in America are Ph.D. holders.

Because they must demonstrate such a high level of technical expertise, pricing actuaries are well-compensated for their work. On average, they earn about $78,000 a year in US companies. Fortune 500 companies like the United Services Automobile Association (USAA), The Hartford, and the Lincoln Financial Group pay their pricing actuaries a yearly salary of well over $100,000.

ScorePricing ActuaryUS Average
Salary
5.1

Avg. Salary $65,091

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
6.6

Growth Rate 21%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.00%

Asian 16.50%

Black or African American 2.91%

Hispanic or Latino 3.40%

Unknown 2.91%

White 74.27%

Gender

female 28.57%

male 71.43%

Age - 37
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 37
Stress Level
6.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.7

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
5.8

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a pricing actuary

  1. Explore pricing actuary education requirements

    Most common pricing actuary degrees

    Bachelor's

    85.2 %

    Master's

    11.1 %

    Doctorate

    3.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific pricing actuary skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Product Development69.27%
    Annuities22.51%
    Level Changes5.01%
    Auto Liability2.02%
    Loss Ratio1.18%
  3. Complete relevant pricing actuary training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 4-10 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New pricing actuaries learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a pricing actuary based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real pricing actuary resumes.
  4. Research pricing actuary duties and responsibilities

    • Project manage large work streams incorporating data and technology to support all business analytics used across the organization.
    • Support the sales team in conducting profitability analysis, analyzing options and developing customer ROI analyses
    • Manipulate select and ultimate mortality table to database formate by using VBA and producingexpect Motality base under best estimate assumption.
    • Administer payroll, conduct accounts reconciliations, and track all A/R and A/P.
  5. Prepare your pricing actuary resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your pricing actuary resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a pricing actuary resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Pricing Actuary Resume templates

    Build a professional Pricing Actuary resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Pricing Actuary resume.
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    Pricing Actuary Resume
    Pricing Actuary Resume
    Pricing Actuary Resume
  6. Apply for pricing actuary jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a pricing actuary job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Pricing Actuary Job

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Average pricing actuary salary

The average Pricing Actuary salary in the United States is $65,091 per year or $31 per hour. Pricing actuary salaries range between $31,000 and $132,000 per year.

Average Pricing Actuary Salary
$65,091 Yearly
$31.29 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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