Why become an actuary?

You can work in specialist areas of insurance, pensions, benefits, healthcare, investments and banking, or for any large organisation where risk management plays an important role, or for a consultancy advising on all sorts of different projects. Once you're qualified, actuarial skills can take you anywhere in the world.

An actuarial career is financially rewarding

Average graduate salaries in the recruitment market are £33,000 (High Fliers Research). In an actuarial graduate scheme you could earn around £35,000 depending on where your job is based and the company you join.

In Hong Kong, a qualified actuary with 5-7 years of experience can earn 700K – 900K HK dollars a year (Classified Post Salary Index – Hong Kong 2014)

Actuaries enjoy a good work/life balance

Compared to other financial professions such as banking, an actuarial position enables you to balance a rewarding career with your other interests in life. The main factors which will impact on your work/life balance are:

  • working and studying at the same time: this can be a challenge, but you will be assisted by study days and hopefully study mentors
  • consultancy work may have you travelling to other areas of the world or working on a number of different projects at the same time
  • approaching deadlines may mean you have to work later than your contracted work hours.

Actuaries are a respected professional global community

When you join the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) you join a profession which has over 30,000 members around the world and a professional body that is committed to its members’ on-going professional development.

The IFoA's qualifications are recognised globally and the skills you acquire in attaining them will enable you to work anywhere in the world.  In addition, the IFoA has Mutual Recognition Agreements with overseas actuarial professional bodies, so once you have qualified, it is often easy to transfer to another professional body.

IFoA members grow effective and long-lasting professional networks by joining our regional societies in the UK and overseas, getting involved in conferences and other events, and volunteering.

Contact Details

IFoA Beijing Office

china@actuaries.org.uk

14/F - China World Office 1 - 1 Jianwai Avenue - Beijing - China - 100004

+86 (10) 6535 0248

Careers Department

careers@actuaries.org.uk

7th Floor Holborn Gate - 326-330 High Holborn - London - WC1V 7PP - U.K

+44 (0) 20 7632 2137

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