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Actuary Salary in Tennessee: Is It a Good Career?

Tennessee · 2026 BLS salary data

an Actuary pay in Tennessee

The median wage is $108,930/yr — 16% below the national median. Among U.S. states, Tennesseeranks #30 of 36 states by median pay.

The numbers in Tennessee

Real BLS state-level figures for Actuary.

Median salary
$108,930/yr
Pay range (25th–75th)
$78,390 – $150,490
National median
$130,000/yr
Employed in Tennessee
300

Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS), state estimates, May 2025 release.

What that pay is really worth in Tennessee

Salary alone can mislead — Tennessee costs 8% less than the U.S. average. Here's the median adjusted for local prices (real purchasing power).

Cost of living (US=100)
91.9
Nominal median
$108,930
Adjusted for cost of living
≈ $118,531
State income tax
None

Because Tennessee costs 8% less than the U.S. average, its pay stretches further — it ranks #27 of 36 once adjusted for cost of living, up from #30 on raw salary.

Tennessee 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 Tennessee?

The median annual wage is $108,930 (BLS OEWS, state estimates), with the middle 50% earning between $78,390 and $150,490. That's 16% below the national median.

Is Tennessee a good state for actuary?

By raw pay, Tennessee ranks #30 of 36 states by median pay. Adjusted for cost of living (Tennessee costs 8% less than the U.S. average), that median is worth about $118,531. Because Tennessee costs 8% less than the U.S. average, its pay stretches further — it ranks #27 of 36 once adjusted for cost of living, up from #30 on raw salary. And with no state income tax, more of that pay stays in your pocket.

Are actuary professionals in demand in Tennessee?

About 300 people work in this field in Tennessee (BLS OEWS). Nationally, BLS projects +21.8% employment growth for this field from 2024 to 2034.

The verdict, pros, and cons below apply to Actuary nationally — Tennessee pay is 16% below the national median. See the full an Actuary career guide →

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.

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.