<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000808490
<NAME> VARIABLE INVESTORS SERIES TRUST
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 2
   <NAME> GROWTH PORTFOLIO
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                         41735496
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                        62400462
<RECEIVABLES>                                   131174
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                    9829
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                62541465
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                        759798
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                       803279
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            1563077
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                      38602124
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          1770146
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          1781846
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                         (97128)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                        1808426
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                      20664966
<NET-ASSETS>                                  60978388
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                               175409
<INTEREST-INCOME>                                41724
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                  314261
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                        (97128)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                       1022857
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                      5841161
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                          6766890
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                            0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                         205805
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                     217505
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                  0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                         6413636
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                       785569
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                           196132
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                 314273
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                          56499609
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                           30.623
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                (0.055)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                          3.880
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             0.000
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                        0.000
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                             0.000
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                             34.448
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.12
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>