Actuaries Salary
The median pay for a actuaries in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD is $126,950/year ($61.04/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $77K at the entry level to $185K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 104.49), that's roughly $121,495 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,857/month, or 24.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $127K actually covers in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Baltimore-Columbia-Towson’s Regional Price Parity (104.49). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About actuaries
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What this looks like in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson
Actuaries pay in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson tracks closely to the national median, $127K locally vs. $130K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,857/month, 24.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 104.49) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for actuaries in metros near Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $128K | $125K |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $145K | $133K |
| Pittsburgh | $118K | $124K |
| Richmond | $132K | $135K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
Entry-level actuaries (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $127K. Top earners bring in $185K or more, a $109K spread from bottom to top.
Actuaries pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Actuaries salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $167K | +28% | 1,380 |
| District of Columbia | $166K | +28% | 160 |
| New York | $156K | +20% | 2,630 |
| New Jersey | $143K | +10% | 1,260 |
| Alabama | $137K | +5% | 190 |
| Arizona | $136K | +5% | 200 |
| Washington | $135K | +4% | 360 |
| Utah | $133K | +2% | 180 |
| Nevada | $132K | +2% | 120 |
| Florida | $132K | +2% | 1,300 |
| Virginia | $132K | +1% | 440 |
| Wisconsin | $132K | +1% | 890 |
| California | $131K | +0% | 1,280 |
| Oregon | $130K | +0% | 210 |
| Missouri | $129K | -1% | 390 |
| North Carolina | $129K | -1% | 610 |
| Iowa | $129K | -1% | 530 |
| Minnesota | $128K | -1% | 1,170 |
| Maryland | $127K | -2% | 580 |
| Massachusetts | $126K | -3% | N/A |
| Pennsylvania | $125K | -4% | 1,710 |
| Kansas | $125K | -4% | 180 |
| Colorado | $120K | -7% | 500 |
| Kentucky | $120K | -7% | 70 |
| Maine | $120K | -8% | 80 |
| Illinois | $115K | -11% | 2,280 |
| Rhode Island | $111K | -15% | 100 |
| Ohio | $111K | -15% | 1,090 |
| Oklahoma | $110K | -16% | 70 |
| Tennessee | $109K | -16% | 300 |
| Mississippi | $106K | -18% | 40 |
| Texas | $105K | -19% | 1,750 |
| Nebraska | $103K | -21% | 270 |
| Indiana | $101K | -23% | 780 |
| Michigan | $101K | -23% | 570 |
| Louisiana | $81K | -38% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 36 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track actuaries salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Baltimore-Columbia-Towson numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a actuary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Yes — at the median salary of $127K, rent takes 24.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,857/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for actuaries in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new actuaries typically earn — is $77K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,905/month. At HUD’s $1,857/month FMR, rent would take 38% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is actuary a high-paying job in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $127K locally vs. $130K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Baltimore-Columbia-Towson compare to the national average for actuaries?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson pays $127K median vs. the U.S. average of $130K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 104.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $121K — below the national median.
How much do actuaries make in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD?
The median is $126,950 a year, that works out to about $61 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $76,670, and experienced actuaries can clear $185,220. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $127K enough to live in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,634/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,857/month, which eats 24.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a actuaries salary go in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson has a Regional Price Parity of 104.49 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median actuaries salary is worth about $121,495 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do actuaries get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.