Actuaries Salary
The median pay for a actuaries in Rochester, NY is $130,220/year ($62.61/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $79K at the entry level to $212K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.03), that's roughly $134,206 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,573/month, or 20.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $130K get you in Rochester?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rochester’s Regional Price Parity (97.03). 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 Rochester
Actuaries pay in Rochester tracks closely to the national median, $130K locally vs. $130K nationwide, a 0% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,573/month, 20.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.03) 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 Rochester, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $161K | $143K |
| Syracuse | $101K | $106K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $110K | $115K |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $130K | $120K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rochester, NY
Entry-level actuaries (10th percentile) start around $79K. Mid-career wages sit at $130K. Top earners bring in $212K or more, a $134K 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 Rochester numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a actuary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rochester?
Yes — at the median salary of $130K, rent takes 20.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,573/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for actuaries in Rochester?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new actuaries typically earn — is $79K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,724/month. At HUD’s $1,573/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Rochester?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $130K locally vs. $130K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Rochester compare to the national average for actuaries?
Rochester pays $130K median vs. the U.S. average of $130K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.03), the purchasing-power equivalent is $134K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do actuaries make in Rochester, NY?
The median is $130,220 a year, that works out to about $63 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $78,730, and experienced actuaries can clear $212,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $130K enough to live in Rochester?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,749/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/month, which eats 20.3% 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 Rochester?
Rochester has a Regional Price Parity of 97.03 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median actuaries salary is worth about $134,206 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.