Work Fit IQ

Career comparison

Actuary vs Statistician

A side-by-side read on pay, outlook, and — the part that actually decides it — which one fits the way you work.

Actuary

$115,000median

$72K – $245K

Actuary rewards strength in execution discipline and analytical thinking.

Statistician

$105,000median

$72K – $215K

Statistician rewards strength in analytical thinking and execution discipline.

Head to head

MetricActuaryStatistician
Median salary$115k$105k
5-year growth64/10076/100
Future-proof78/10082/100
Remote potential68/10078/100
Stress level50/10050/100
Entry difficulty78/10076/100

Figures from the Work Fit IQ catalog, calibrated to public 2024-2026 US labor signals (BLS OEWS/OOH, O*NET, Levels.fyi). A highlighted side means a meaningful edge on that metric, not a verdict on the whole career.

The key differences in the work itself

  • Statistician leans noticeably more on creative output (74/100 vs 42/100), so if that's your strength it points toward Statistician over Actuary.
  • Statistician leans noticeably more on technical depth (80/100 vs 60/100), so if that's your strength it points toward Statistician over Actuary.
  • Statistician leans noticeably more on autonomy (76/100 vs 60/100), so if that's your strength it points toward Statistician over Actuary.

Read the full guides

Still torn?

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