Facts about actuaries

Sure, you probably know that actuaries use their unique skills to develop models and solve problems. But there's so much more to the profession!

Did you know?

....The U.S. Department of Labor predicts the employment of actuaries is expected to grow faster than average for all occupations through 2014.

...A 2010 study published by job search website CareerCast ranked actuary as the #1 job in the United States (Needleman 2010). The study used five key criteria to rank jobs: environment, income, employment outlook, physical demands and stress.

...Every day, actuaries are asked to tackle topics in the health, insurance, finance, pension and long-term care industries. Check out the SOA's repository of industry research.

...In 1693, mathematician Edmund Halley-after whom Halley's Comet is named- devised the first mortality table, forming the basis for the actuarial profession. The formal founding of the actuarial profession in North America began in 1889 with the creation of the Actuarial Society of America.

...Over the years, actuaries have played a starring role in many movies. Double Indemnity (1944) was possibly the first film to feature an actuary. Other movies include Are You With It?,
The Apartment, Sweet Charity, Tron, Class Action, Groundhog Day, Thirteen Conversations About One Thing, About Schmidt, Along Came Polly, First Daughter and Stranger than Fiction

...Actuaries work for a variety of organizations including: insurance companies, consulting firms, government departments, universities, banks, investment firms, large corporations and public accounting firms.

...Sustainability is an emerging area for actuaries. From the impact of peak oil and energy issues to risks presented by a reduction in biodiversity, actuaries provide critical information for the future of our environment.