Actuarial Science · California

Actuarial Science colleges in California

CampusPin lists 263 U.S. colleges in California that offer Actuarial Science programs. Compare tuition, acceptance rate, and enrollment in the table below, every figure links back to the institution's official IPEDS data.

Actuarial Science applies probability, statistics, and finance to measure and price risk, suiting students who enjoy heavy math and want to work toward professional actuarial exams.

Schools in California that offer Actuarial Science

Actuarial Science programs in California: by the numbers

A quick comparison of the 50 schools (of 263 total) listed above, drawn from each institution's published IPEDS data.

Schools listed

263

Public / private

26 / 24

Universities / 2-year

44 / 6

Cities represented

39

In-state tuition range

$1,104–$63,255

Median in-state tuition

$7,989

Lowest published in-state tuition

Barstow Community College

$1,104

Most selective

California Institute of Technology

3% acceptance

Largest by enrollment

California State University-Fullerton

41,793 students

Figures reflect the schools currently listed and each institution's most recent reported data. Verify current tuition and admissions details with the school before applying.

What you'll study in a Actuarial Science program

  • Probability theory and mathematical statistics
  • Theory of interest and financial mathematics
  • Life contingencies and survival models
  • Loss models and credibility theory for insurance pricing
  • Risk classification, reserving, and premium calculation
  • Financial economics and investment / portfolio fundamentals
  • Statistical programming and data analysis (R, Python, SQL, Excel)
  • Preparation for early SOA / CAS professional exams

Where a Actuarial Science degree can lead

  • Actuaries
  • Actuarial Analyst
  • Pension / Retirement Consultant
  • Underwriting Analyst
  • Risk Analyst
  • Insurance Pricing Analyst

Typical pay: Occupation-wide BLS median of $125,770 for actuaries (2024); early-career pay is lower and rises as you pass professional exams.

Actuarial Science is a quantitative business major, usually a four-year bachelor's degree, that uses probability, statistics, and financial mathematics to model uncertain future events such as deaths, accidents, lawsuits, and investment returns. The standard curriculum builds from calculus and linear algebra into probability theory, mathematical statistics, the theory of interest, life contingencies, loss models, and financial economics, with applied coursework in insurance and pension design. Many programs align their core courses with the early professional exams, so students often pass one or more exams before they graduate.

Graduates work in life, health, and property-casualty insurance, pension and retirement consulting, reinsurance, and enterprise risk management at banks and other firms. Day-to-day work involves cleaning and analyzing data, building pricing and reserving models, setting premiums, projecting liabilities, and communicating results to non-technical decision-makers. Full credentialing comes through the Society of Actuaries (SOA) or Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) exam tracks, which most candidates complete on the job over several years.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median annual wage of $125,770 for actuaries and projects 21.8% employment growth for the occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Actuarial Science in other states

Other majors in California

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Use CampusPin's filter-first search to narrow 263+ Actuarial Science programs in California by tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting.

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