Actuaries Salary
The median pay for a actuaries in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA is $110,300/year ($53.03/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $76K at the entry level to $197K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.56), which stretches that salary to about $117,892 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,252/month, or 17.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $110K get you in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Scranton--Wilkes-Barre’s Regional Price Parity (93.56). 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre
Pay for actuaries in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $130K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,252/month, 18.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.56 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Scranton--Wilkes-Barre can be a reasonable trade-off for actuariess who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for actuaries in metros near Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $128K | $125K |
| Pittsburgh | $118K | $124K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $107K | $108K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $161K | $143K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA
Entry-level actuaries (10th percentile) start around $76K. Mid-career wages sit at $110K. Top earners bring in $197K or more, a $121K 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
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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a actuary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre?
Yes — at the median salary of $110K, rent takes 18.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,252/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for actuaries in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new actuaries typically earn — is $76K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,544/month. At HUD’s $1,252/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is actuary a high-paying job in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $110K here vs. $130K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Scranton--Wilkes-Barre compare to the national average for actuaries?
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre pays $110K median vs. the U.S. average of $130K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.56), the purchasing-power equivalent is $118K — below the national median.
How much do actuaries make in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?
The median is $110,300 a year, that works out to about $53 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $75,730, and experienced actuaries can clear $197,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $110K enough to live in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,883/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,252/month, which eats 18.2% 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre?
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre has a Regional Price Parity of 93.56 (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 $117,892 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.