Actuary Salary in Nevada: Is It a Good Career?
Nevada · 2026 BLS salary data
an Actuary pay in Nevada
The median wage is $132,370/yr — 2% above the national median. Among U.S. states, Nevadaranks #9 of 36 states by median pay.
The numbers in Nevada
Real BLS state-level figures for Actuary.
- Median salary
- $132,370/yr
- Pay range (25th–75th)
- $98,620 – $171,700
- National median
- $130,000/yr
- Employed in Nevada
- 120
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS), state estimates, May 2025 release.
What that pay is really worth in Nevada
Salary alone can mislead — Nevada costs about the U.S. average. Here's the median adjusted for local prices (real purchasing power).
- Cost of living (US=100)
- 100
- Nominal median
- $132,370
- Adjusted for cost of living
- ≈ $132,370
- State income tax
- None
Nevada's high pay is offset by cost of living — adjusted for prices it ranks #13 of 36, down from #9 on raw salary.
Nevada levies no state income tax, so more of that pay stays in your pocket than in high-tax states.
Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities (all items, US=100), 2024. Adjusted pay = nominal median ÷ (RPP/100) — purchasing power vs the U.S. average. State income tax = top marginal rate on wage income (Tax Foundation, 2025); your effective rate is lower and depends on income and deductions.
FAQ
How much do actuary professionals make in Nevada?
The median annual wage is $132,370 (BLS OEWS, state estimates), with the middle 50% earning between $98,620 and $171,700. That's 2% above the national median.
Is Nevada a good state for actuary?
By raw pay, Nevada ranks #9 of 36 states by median pay. Adjusted for cost of living (Nevada costs about the U.S. average), that median is worth about $132,370. Nevada's high pay is offset by cost of living — adjusted for prices it ranks #13 of 36, down from #9 on raw salary. And with no state income tax, more of that pay stays in your pocket.
Are actuary professionals in demand in Nevada?
About 120 people work in this field in Nevada (BLS OEWS). Nationally, BLS projects +21.8% employment growth for this field from 2024 to 2034.
The verdict
Yes — actuarial work offers high pay, excellent job security, strong projected growth, and a debt-light path via professional exams rather than expensive grad school. The trade-off is a demanding, years-long exam gauntlet and detail-heavy, quantitative work.
- Worth it If you're strong in math/statistics and disciplined about self-study
- Worth it If you want high pay and stability without grad-school debt
- Not worth it If you dislike heavy math or long exam grinds
Pros & cons
Pros
- High pay with excellent job security
- Much-faster-than-average projected growth
- Exam-based entry — no expensive grad degree needed
- Pay rises with each exam passed
- Strong work-life balance once credentialed
Cons
- Long, demanding series of professional exams
- Years of self-study alongside full-time work
- Detail-heavy, quantitative day-to-day
- Narrow field concentrated in insurance/finance
- Slow start until early exams are passed
Who it's for
✓ A good fit if…
- Strong math and statistics people
- Disciplined self-studiers
- Those wanting high pay without grad-school debt
✗ Probably not if…
- People who dislike heavy math
- Those unwilling to grind years of exams
What people are actually asking
Real Reddit discussions on whether Actuary is worth it — titles link to the original threads.
- “Actuaries of Reddit, considering how far you are in your ...”r/actuaryquestioning
- “Was becoming an actuary worth it?”r/actuaryquestioning
- “Are actuaries really that special?”r/actuaryquestioning
- “If you could go back, would you still be an actuary?”r/actuaryquestioning
- “do you like your life now?”r/actuaryquestioning
- “How's the actuary job market in the future”r/actuaryfuture/AI-anxiety
- “Honest reflection of being an actuary from actuaries”r/ActuaryUKmixed