Students sitting at classroom desks during Estimathon.

Actuarial Science

If you have a passion for analyzing and managing financial risks, pursuing a degree in Actuarial Science could be the perfect fit for you. At McDaniel, our Actuarial Science program provides students with the skills and knowledge needed to confidently calculate and assess risk, making them highly sought-after by insurance and finance companies. With a degree in Actuarial Science, you'll have a world of possibilities at your fingertips.

Mortarboard

Degree Types

Major

Institution

Complementary Programs

Business Administration

Accounting

Heart

Distinctive Requirements

Capstone

Why Actuarial Science at McDaniel?

An Actuarial Science degree from McDaniel College blends faculty instruction in Mathematics, Economics, and Business Administration to create a distinct degree plan. Through courses that cover topics like probability, financial mathematics, insurance pricing and analysis, graduates from our Actuarial Science program develop the skills needed to understand and manage risk. Guidance from expert faculty and McDaniel's alumni network will provide you with all you need to know for future certification and career success.

The Payoff

The field of risk analysis is growing at a rate much faster than average, which means graduates of our program are highly employable. Want even better news? The median salary for actuaries is over $100,000. With a degree in Actuarial Science from McDaniel, you’ll be well-equipped to tackle sophisticated problems in industries such as insurance, investment banking and finance.

Future Career Paths

Almost every graduate of our program is currently working in a professional position under the general titles like “mathematician,” “systems analyst,” “actuary,” and “statistician,” at places like:

The National Security Agency
IBM
Hewlett Packard Corporation
NASA
The Department of Defense
Actuarial firms

Our graduates distinguish themselves in some of the finest graduate programs in the country, including:

Brandeis
Cornell
Harvard
Johns Hopkins
University of Maryland
University of Michigan
University of Virginia

Distinctive Courses

The study of the economic foundations of any society: price theory - the market system and allocation of resources; and macroeconomic theory - national income, employment, inflation, business cycles, and international trade.

The theory of demand, production, cost, and resource allocation in a market economy. Models of market structure are developed and various forms of market failure are analyzed. Also developed are models of risk and un- certainty and theories of factor pricing and income distribution.

The management of business funds, with emphasis on the techniques of financial analysis, the financial environment in which firms operate, the sources and forms of external financing, and the allocation of funds to competing alternatives such as plant and equipment, working capital, and financial investment.

An introduction to fundamentals of actuarial mathematics, including actuarial models for life insurance and contingency claims. This course is designed to start preparing students for the Society of Actuaries Actuarial Exam FAM.

Actuarial Science Program Requirements

Actuarial Science Major

Keep in Touch

Tell us a little about yourself and we'll share updates & information. (We'll also make sure you don't miss any important deadlines.)

Request More Info

See Yourself Here

Take your first steps on the Hill! Visiting campus is one of the best ways to determine if McDaniel is right for you.

Visit McDaniel

Department Faculty

Learn more about the faculty and staff behind this program.

See Computer Science faculty

The McDaniel Commitment in Action

The McDaniel Commitment—a series of opportunities guaranteed to all students—provides enhanced mentoring and coaching, and ensures every undergraduate student completes at least two meaningful experiential learning opportunities.

McDaniel’s women’s basketball team in France.

Study Abroad

An employer talks to students at a job and internship fair.

Internships

Cooper Hostetler standing in front of files.

Research

IMPRESSIVE OUTCOMES Alayna Meekins ’22

Alayna Meekins graduated from McDaniel College as the first student to hold a degree in Actuarial Science. A dual major in Economics, Meekins kept an eye on the future while pursuing her ideal career as an actuary. Support from professors and alums alike helped set her up for success, and her plans aren't over yet.

Read Alayna's Profile

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT Spencer Hamblen Professor of Mathematics

Professor of Mathematics Spencer Hamblen specializes in researching number theory, arithmetic dynamics, and algebraic symmetry. Majors in Actuarial Science may join him in classes like his Mathematics Problems Seminar (MAT3391), Number Theory (MAT3336), and the Jan Term opportunity Conference Experience in Mathematics (MAT1140).

View Dr. Hamblen's Profile

Business Administration Accounting Data Analytics, M.S. (STEM Designated with Day-1 CPT) Economics Entrepreneurship