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Boston Career Explorer

Computer and Mathematical

Actuaries

Analyze statistical data, such as mortality, accident, sickness, disability, and retirement rates and construct probability tables to forecast risk and liability for payment of future benefits. May ascertain insurance rates required and cash reserves necessary to ensure payment of future benefits.

Also called: Actuarial Analyst, Actuarial Associate, Actuarial Consultant, Actuary, Consulting Actuary, Health Actuary

Median pay in Greater Boston
$129,590
$62.31/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
Not published
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+13.7%
90 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Bachelor's degree
plus Long-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$86,180$99,980$129,590$167,350$179,750

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Analyze data to determine premium rates required and cash reserves and liabilities necessary to ensure payment of future benefits.
  • Analyze statistical information to estimate mortality, accident, sickness, disability, and retirement rates.
  • Design, review, and help administer insurance, annuity and pension plans, determining financial soundness and calculating premiums.
  • Collaborate with programmers, underwriters, accounts, claims experts, and senior management to help companies develop plans for new lines of business or improvements to existing business.
  • Provide advice to clients on a contract basis, working as a consultant.
  • Determine, or help determine, company policy, and explain complex technical matters to company executives, government officials, shareholders, policyholders, or the public.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure89 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 100
  • Language-model AIOE 81
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 86

Observed AI use today: Some (Anthropic Economic Index)

Actuaries have higher AI exposure, so AI tools may help with or change much of the data work. Observed AI use is so far at a "some" level. Tools can touch number-heavy tasks like analyzing data and estimating rates. Designing plans, working with other teams, and advising clients still depend on people, and Massachusetts projects 13.7% job growth through 2034.

Likely to change

  • Analyzing data to estimate risk rates
  • Calculating premiums and cash reserves

Still relies on people

  • Advising clients as a consultant
  • Working with underwriters, claims experts, and managers

What federal projections say

“Demand change - share increases as a greater emphasis on identifying, quantifying, and managing risks leads to greater demand for actuaries to analyze the financial costs of risks and uncertainty.”
BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, factors affecting this job (U.S.)

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

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Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

14 programs near Boston (plus 12 graduate)

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