We are very optimistic about the job market over the next few years. We see a continued high demand, especially for entry-level actuaries. Most actuaries live and work in urban areas where financial firms are located. In the U.S., the Northeast and the Midwest have the highest number of actuaries and in Canada, Toronto, Montreal and Quebec are the centers for actuarial work. Actuarial science, math, statistics, economics, business and finance degrees are all good training for an actuarial career.
Actuaries come from a variety of educational backgrounds.
Actuaries may have majors in areas other than math, such as operations research, physics, engineering, and even fine arts. You would be surprised at the variety of backgrounds actuaries have. While majoring in actuarial science or math in college would benefit someone wanting to be an actuary, it is not a necessity. While certain skills are important, one does not need to major in math or statistics in order to be an actuary. It is the ability to pass actuarial exams that determines if one is eligible to enter the profession.