Actuary.
Pittsburgh.
$115,000
median salary, 9% below the national average
$83,000 to $150,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
An Actuary in Pittsburgh earns a median of $115,000 in 2026. That is 9% below the national average. The range runs from $83,000 to $150,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. Exam progress is the single most predictive salary factor for actuaries. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Actuary in Pittsburgh, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $117,600 for Actuaries (SOC 15-2011) in the Pittsburgh, PA metropolitan area, based on 170 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$73,240
25th percentile
$88,770
Median
$117,600
75th percentile
$145,910
90th percentile
$179,920
Workers surveyed
170
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Actuaries (SOC 15-2011) rather than Actuary specifically. The Pittsburghrange at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 15-2011Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $103,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$75,000
to $92,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$98,000
to $121,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$127,000
to $150,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$144,000
to $178,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $31,000 to the total package.
Base
$115,000
Equity
$18,000
Bonus
$11,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $146,000
How Pittsburgh compares.
Pittsburgh, PA
$115,000
Cost of living: 8% below average
National Average
$126,000
Pittsburgh is $11,000 below
Actuary salary by city.
Salary by role in Pittsburgh.
What you should know.
The Actuary landscape in Pittsburgh is not what most salary sites will tell you. Pittsburgh has reinvented itself from a steel city into a hub for robotics, autonomous vehicles, and healthcare technology. Carnegie Mellon University feeds a strong talent pipeline into AI and robotics companies. The city's low cost of living combined with world class research institutions makes it a hidden gem for technology professionals. Exam progress is the single most predictive salary factor for actuaries. Each passed SOA or CAS exam adds approximately $5,000 to $15,000 in base salary. Fully credentialed fellows earn 40 to 60% more than entry-level associates. Consulting actuaries typically earn more than insurance company actuaries at equivalent experience levels.
Entry-level actuarial analysts with zero to two exams earn $65,000 to $85,000. Associates (ASA) earn $90,000 to $120,000. Fellows (FSA/FCAS) reach $130,000 to $180,000. Chief actuaries and actuarial directors earn $175,000 to $280,000. Consulting principals can exceed $350,000. In Pittsburgh, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Exam bonuses of $2,000 to $5,000 per passed exam are standard, plus paid study time (typically 100 to 200 hours). Annual bonuses of 10 to 20% are common. Consulting firms offer higher variable pay. Many employers cover exam fees, study materials, and raise base salary with each credential milestone. And on the tax side: pennsylvania's flat 3.07% state tax is low, but Pittsburgh adds a local earned income tax of about 3%. Combined with the school district tax, local taxes require attention in negotiations. When someone quotes you $115,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Highlight robotics or AI specialization. Pittsburgh employers tied to CMU's research ecosystem pay nationally competitive salaries for candidates with advanced technical skills. The range for Actuarys in Pittsburgh runs from $83,000 to $150,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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Common questions.
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