Prevailing Wage for Actuaries
Prevailing wage requirements for Actuaries (SOC 15-2011) are set by the DOL and apply to every sponsored position, whether the hire is an Actuarial Analyst at an insurance carrier or an Actuarial Associate joining a consulting firm. DOL defines four experience levels, and the wage floor shifts meaningfully by city, so the same role can carry very different minimums depending on worksite.
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Entry-level actuaries with limited professional experience, typically recent graduates or those less than two years into the role. Work is closely supervised, assignments are routine, and independent judgment is not yet expected by the employer.
Qualified actuaries with a few years of experience who handle moderately complex assignments with some independence. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Actuaries, reflecting standard professional hires at insurance companies, consulting firms, and financial institutions.
Experienced actuaries who work independently on complex modeling, pricing, or reserving projects. They may guide junior staff and are expected to apply specialized actuarial judgment across multiple product lines or analytical domains without routine supervision.
Fully competent senior actuaries or consulting actuaries who set methodology, lead practice areas, and exercise broad independent authority. These professionals often hold Fellowship credentials and are responsible for final sign-off on material actuarial work products.
Prevailing Wage for Actuaries by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Actuaries and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm your exam progress matches your filed level
Actuaries advance through professional exams over several years. Employers sometimes file at Level 1 for a candidate who has passed multiple exams and is functioning at Level 2. Verify the filed wage level reflects both your exam standing and your actual scope of work.
Watch for bonus and profit-share exclusions
Many actuarial roles at insurers and consulting firms include performance bonuses or profit-sharing. DOL prevailing wage compliance is measured against base salary only. A strong total-comp package can mask a base that falls below the applicable wage floor for your level and worksite city.
Check Migrate Mate for employers with actuary sponsorship history
Actuarial sponsorship is concentrated among a relatively small set of insurers, reinsurers, and consulting firms. Migrate Mate shows which employers have actually sponsored actuarial roles before, so you can focus your search on companies with a real track record rather than guessing.
Note the wide gap between Connecticut and lower-paying metros
Bridgeport and Hartford consistently set some of the highest actuarial wage floors in the country, reflecting dense insurer headquarters in Connecticut. Roles in markets like Lansing or San Juan carry substantially lower floors, so worksite city has an outsized effect on this occupation specifically.
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Find Jobs for ActuariesPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 15-2011.00 alongside Actuaries, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Actuarial Analyst Prevailing Wage
Actuarial Analyst Prevailing Wage
Actuarial Analyst positions fall under SOC 15-2011.00 (Actuaries). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Actuarial Associate Prevailing Wage
Actuarial Associate Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Actuarial Associate for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 15-2011.00 (Actuaries). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Actuarial Consultant Prevailing Wage
Actuarial Consultant Prevailing Wage
Actuarial Consultant is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 15-2011.00 (Actuaries). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Actuary Prevailing Wage
Actuary Prevailing Wage
Actuary positions fall under SOC 15-2011.00 (Actuaries). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Consulting Actuary Prevailing Wage
Consulting Actuary Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Consulting Actuary for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 15-2011.00 (Actuaries). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Corporate Actuary Prevailing Wage
Corporate Actuary Prevailing Wage
Corporate Actuary is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 15-2011.00 (Actuaries). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Health Actuary Prevailing Wage
Health Actuary Prevailing Wage
Health Actuary positions fall under SOC 15-2011.00 (Actuaries). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Pricing Actuary Prevailing Wage
Pricing Actuary Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Pricing Actuary for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 15-2011.00 (Actuaries). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Product Development Actuary Prevailing Wage
Product Development Actuary Prevailing Wage
Product Development Actuary is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 15-2011.00 (Actuaries). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Reserving Actuary Prevailing Wage
Reserving Actuary Prevailing Wage
Reserving Actuary positions fall under SOC 15-2011.00 (Actuaries). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Actuaries?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metropolitan areas. For each area, DOL calculates four wage thresholds corresponding to the four experience levels. When an employer files an LCA through OFLC for a sponsored actuary, the certified wage on that LCA must meet or exceed the applicable level for the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify which one applies to me?
Level 1 covers entry-level work under close supervision. Level 2 covers qualified professionals handling assignments with moderate independence, and it is the level most commonly filed for actuaries in standard professional roles. Level 3 applies to experienced practitioners working independently on complex problems. Level 4 covers senior or consulting actuaries with full authority over methodology and sign-off responsibilities. Your level should reflect your actual duties, exam credentials, and degree of supervision, not just your job title.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same actuarial role vary so much by city?
DOL calculates prevailing wages from regional OES surveys, so each metropolitan area produces its own wage thresholds based on local employer pay data. An employer must use the floor for the worksite listed on the LCA, not a national average. Markets with heavy concentrations of insurers and reinsurers, such as Bridgeport or Hartford, generate higher survey wages than smaller or lower-cost markets, producing the wide city-to-city spread you see across the 74 metro areas covered for this occupation.
What happens if an employer offers a salary below the prevailing wage for a sponsored actuarial position?
OFLC will not certify an LCA where the offered wage falls below the applicable prevailing wage for the worksite and experience level. Without a certified LCA, USCIS will not approve the H-1B or other work visa petition. If the underpayment is discovered after approval, the employer faces back-wage liability and potential debarment from future sponsorship filings. The offer must be corrected before filing, not after.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Actuaries in a specific U.S. city?
The authoritative source is the OFLC Wage Search tool, which lets you look up current DOL wage floors by SOC code and metropolitan area. Enter SOC 15-2011 and the metro where the worksite is located to see all four level thresholds. If you want to see which employers have actively sponsored actuarial roles in past years, Migrate Mate filters sponsored job listings by role and location and shows each employer's historical visa sponsorship counts.
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