Introducing Actuarial Science to High School Students (pp. 1--6)

Abstract

Actuarial science is one of the fastest growing careers in our modern society. The actuarial career continues to be named one of the best jobs in the United States based on work environment, job outlook, security, and stress level (US News, 2019). This profession continues to grow at a rate of 3.53% per year and currently has a workforce of over 10.9 million. The median salary for an actuary in 2018 was $102,880 per year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019).

Many high school students are learning that this field is a very good career, yet most of them have no idea what it entails and most of their teachers are not able to provide much guidance because they themselves are unaware of its content. The purpose of this article is to introduce both teachers and students to the field of actuarial science.  The article defines what an actuary is, what an actuary does, and the path to becoming an actuary.