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Salary comparison

Accountants and Auditors vs. Actuaries: Who Earns More?

Actuariess out-earn Accountants and Auditorss by $44K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2024. Accountants and Auditorss land at $81,680 and Actuariess at $125,770. The education gap is real: accountants and auditor programs typically require bachelor's degree, while actuary programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Accountants and Auditorss is District of Columbia ($103,030); for Actuariess it's District of Columbia ($153,340).

Accountants and Auditors
Actuaries
Median salary
$81,680
$125,770
Hourly rate
$39.27/hr
$60.47/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$52,780
$75,240
Senior level (90th %)
$141,420
$206,430
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
1,448,290
28,340
Job growth (10-year)
4.6%
21.8%
Category
Business & Finance
Technology
Top-paying state
District of Columbia
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Accountants and Auditors median pay.

State
Accountants and Auditors
Actuaries
District of Columbia
$103,030
$153,340
New York
$101,780
$133,730
New Jersey
$101,340
$137,330
Washington
$96,180
$153,260
Connecticut
$89,630
$148,220
Maryland
$84,890
$132,740
Virginia
$84,190
$135,880
Oregon
$81,130
$129,340
North Carolina
$80,490
$129,850
Nevada
$78,220
$132,470
Maine
$77,680
$132,970
Kansas
$76,400
$125,690
Utah
$75,100
$128,860
Iowa
$74,290
$129,870
Alabama
$71,070
$143,230

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Accountants and Auditorss or Actuariess?

Actuariess earn more nationally. The median is $81,680 for Accountants and Auditorss versus $125,770 for Actuariess, a difference of $44K. Per BLS OEWS May 2024.

Which has better job growth, Accountants and Auditors or Actuaries?

Actuaries has the better 10-year outlook at 21.8% projected growth, compared to 4.6% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Accountants and Auditors or Actuaries?

Accountants and Auditors typically requires bachelor's degree. Actuaries requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Accountants and Auditorss get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Accountants and Auditorss at $103,030/year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Accountants and Auditors vs. Actuaries pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Accountants and Auditorss earn $103,030 vs. $153,340 for Actuariess. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Accountants and Auditors salary breakdownView →Full Actuaries salary breakdownView →Best cities for Accountants and Auditorss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Actuariess by take-home payExplore →How to become a accountants and auditorsGuide →How to become a actuariesGuide →