Actuary.
St. Louis.
$110,000
median salary, 10% below the national average
$83,000 to $146,000. Updated for 2026.
The numbers.
Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.
St. Louis is 10% cheaper than the national average. For Actuarys, that shakes out to a median of $110,000, with the full range spanning $83,000 to $146,000. Exam progress is the single most predictive salary factor for actuaries. Know the range before you walk in.
Salary range
Tap to place your salary
How St. Louis compares
St. Louis, MO
$110,000
Cost of living: 10% below average
National Average
$122,000
St. Louis is $12,000 below
What you should know
Here is what the Actuary market actually looks like in St. Louis. St. Louis offers one of the most affordable major metro areas in the country, with a strong base in healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing. The region's anchor employers include Boeing, Centene, and Washington University's medical campus. A growing biotech and plant sciences corridor centered on the Cortex Innovation District is attracting new investment and talent. 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 St. Louis, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
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: missouri's top income tax rate is about 4.8%, and St. Louis City adds a 1% earnings tax. The low base cost of living means your after tax salary still stretches further than in most metros. When someone quotes you $110,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Emphasize your willingness to work in person at Cortex or the BJC campus. St. Louis employers offer higher packages for candidates who commit to the local innovation hubs. The range for Actuarys in St. Louis runs from $83,000 to $146,000. 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 St. Louis
Negotiating in St. Louis
Emphasize your willingness to work in person at Cortex or the BJC campus. St. Louis employers offer higher packages for candidates who commit to the local innovation hubs.