Actuary Salary in St. Louis, MO: $133,500 (2026)
Quick Answer:A full-time actuary in St. Louis, MO earns a median $133,500/year (≈ $64.18/hour) in nominal terms for 2026 — projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 15-2011). Once you factor in St. Louis's price level (5% below national, BEA RPP 95.1), that paycheck buys what $140,396 would nationally. Nominal pay sits 11.1% above the Missouri state average.
Official BLS data · View source
Actuaries in St. Louis, Missouri, are expected to draw a median annual salary of $133,500 in 2026, reflecting a slightly lower compensation level compared to the national median of $134,160. Salary projections for this role show a healthy range from $81,507 at the 10th percentile to $209,785 at the 90th percentile, according to data derived from 2025 BLS OEWS surveys. With 250 actuaries employed in the local market, St. Louis offers a solid job base, but the pay structure indicates a difference in compensation strategies between consulting positions and those in insurance firms. Actuaries in consulting firms such as Milliman and Mercer tend to see higher salaries, particularly at the Fellow level, when compared to their counterparts in life and health insurance roles.
Salary Breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $81,507 | $39.19 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $104,862 | $50.41 |
| Median (P50)(typical) | $133,500 | $64.18 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $181,849 | $87.42 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $209,785 | $100.86 |
Median Salary Position
0.49% below the national average
2026 Salary Percentile Distribution in St. Louis
In St. Louis, MO, the actuary salary spread from the 10th to 90th percentile is $128,278 (2026 est.). At $133,500, the local median is 0.49% below the national median of $134,160.
Salary Calculator
At 40 hours/week in St. Louis: You'd be in the lower-middle range
How St. Louis Actuary Pay Compares
St. Louis median: $133,500/year (2026)
| Compared To | Median Salary | St. Louis Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri Average | $120,162 | +11.10% more |
| National Average | $134,160 | -0.49% less |
Actuarys in St. Louis, MO earn a median of $133,500 per year (2026 est.), which is 0.49% lower than the national median of $134,160 and 11.10% above the Missouri state average of $120,162.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
St. Louis has a cost of living 4.91% below the national average, meaning your salary goes further here.
Adjusted salary = nominal × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average.
St. Louis, MO has a cost-of-living index of 95.088 (below the national average of 100). A actuary earning $133,500 nominally has purchasing power equivalent to $140,396 in an average-cost city — an effective 5.17% boost.
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2019 BLS Actual
$98,360
2025 BLS Actual
$129,360
2026 Current Est.
$133,500
2019–2027 Growth
+40.1%
Salary Trajectory for Actuaries in St. Louis (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 3.20% projection.
| Year | Annual Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $98,360 | Actual |
| 2020 | $119,770 | Actual |
| 2021 | $124,480 | Actual |
| 2022 | $124,010 | Actual |
| 2023 | $106,860 | Actual |
| 2024 | $127,800 | Actual |
| 2025 | $129,360 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $133,500 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $137,772 | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the St. Louis metropolitan area, the median actuary salary grew 31.5% from $98,360 (2019) to $129,360 (2025). At a 3.20% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $137,772 by 2027 — a total increase of $39,412 (40.07%) from 2019.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the St. Louis metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 3.20% CAGR derived from 7-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.
Salary by Experience Level
| Experience | Estimated Salary Range |
|---|---|
| 0-2 years (New Graduate) | $81,507 – $104,862 |
| 3-5 years (Mid Career) | $104,862 – $133,500 |
| 5+ years (Experienced) | $133,500 – $181,849 |
| 10+ years (Top Earner) | $181,849 – $209,785 |
ASA, FSA salary ranges estimated from BLS percentile data. Individual actuary compensation varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.
Actuary Job Market in St. Louis
The St. Louis job market, with a cost-of-living index of 95.088, presents a favorable environment for actuaries, as the relatively lower living costs bolster take-home purchasing power. While life insurance companies like Prudential and MetLife, as well as property and casualty players such as State Farm, actively seek talent, consulting firms remain at the forefront of the highest-paying opportunities. Factors influencing the salary range include exam progression—where each completed actuarial exam typically results in a pay increase of $3,000 to $8,000—and the transition from Associate to Fellow status, which opens doors to higher-paying specializations. To maximize earnings in St. Louis, prospective actuaries should focus on achieving full Fellow status while gaining experience in high-demand specialties like predictive analytics and data science, ensuring they remain competitive in a market where the technical skills and industry knowledge can significantly impact salary outcomes.
More salary data for St. Louis, MO:
Frequently Asked Questions
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Written by Maria Chen, FSA, MAAA
Career Analyst
Maria has 10 years of experience in life insurance. She specializes in risk assessment and pricing strategies.
Methodology & Data Source
Salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. The BLS reported a median annual salary of $129,360 for actuariesin the St. Louis metropolitan area. A 3.20% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), calculated from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to project current 2026 compensation. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) represent the full salary distribution across experience levels and practice settings in this market.
Data Sources & Methodology
Source: BLS, OEWS, 7-year dataset (–). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.
2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.20%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for actuarys (SOC 15-2011).
Compiled and verified by Maria Chen, FSA, MAAA, a licensed actuary with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov