Actuary.
Seattle.
$151,000
median salary, 24% above the national average
$114,000 to $201,000. Updated for 2026.
The numbers.
Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.
A Actuary in Seattle earns a median of $151,000 in 2026. That is 24% above the national average. The range runs from $114,000 to $201,000, 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.
Salary range
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How Seattle compares
Seattle, WA
$151,000
Cost of living: 24% above average
National Average
$122,000
Seattle is $29,000 above
What you should know
The Actuary landscape in Seattle is not what most salary sites will tell you. Seattle is home to Amazon, Microsoft, and a dense cluster of cloud computing, gaming, and AI companies. The presence of major tech headquarters drives some of the highest engineering salaries outside the Bay Area. Seattle's job market is particularly strong for cloud infrastructure, machine learning, and enterprise software roles. 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 Seattle, those numbers run higher. The cost of living here is 24% above average, and employers adjust to compete.
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: washington State has no personal income tax, which significantly boosts take home pay. However, state and local sales taxes are among the highest in the country at roughly 10.25%. When someone quotes you $151,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Remind employers that no state income tax makes your effective compensation higher. You can accept a slightly lower gross salary and still take home more than in California. The range for Actuarys in Seattle runs from $114,000 to $201,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Top industries in Seattle
Negotiating in Seattle
Remind employers that no state income tax makes your effective compensation higher. You can accept a slightly lower gross salary and still take home more than in California.