<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000808490
<NAME> VARIABLE INVESTORS SERIES TRUST
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 3
   <NAME> TILT UTILITY PORTFOLIO
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1995
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                         13144737
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                        15957839
<RECEIVABLES>                                   152107
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                       3
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                16109949
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                        91639
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                              91639
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                      13044307
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          1019992
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                           995163
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                        67014
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                          93887
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                       2813102
<NET-ASSETS>                                  16018310
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                               709178
<INTEREST-INCOME>                                  362
<OTHER-INCOME>                                      16
<EXPENSES-NET>                                  161915
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                         547641
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                        346305
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                      3179720
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                          4073666
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                       481008
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                        286632
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                         345562
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                   (370564)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                              49831
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                         3706549
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                            381
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                        49206
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                            91889
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                 211980
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                          14093101
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                           12.372
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                  0.559
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                          3.560
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                           (0.494)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                      (0.293)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                             0.000
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                             15.704
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.15
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>