<p>I am trying to decide which would be a better career, an actuary or accounting. I hear that actuaries make more money but it is a harder profession. Is anyone either an actuary or accountant?</p>
<p>accountant is a really boring job.........</p>
<p>so is being an actuary.......</p>
<p>i hope this isn't too offensive but on the Daily Show he said:
"50% of graduating high school seniors have already had sex, and another 47% will eventually have sex... and the remaining 3% will become actuaries."</p>
<p>Accounting = arithmetic
Finance = arithmetic + algebra
Actuarial science = arithmetic + algebra + calculus + statistics</p>
<p>It's harder and has a higher starting salary, but an accountant's salary can potentially surpass a actuary's salary.</p>
<p>I think if you love math, you should go with actuarial science. But if you want more of a business background in your career, you should go with accounting.</p>
<p>I am an actuary and my husband is an accountant. Both careers offer a tremendous amount of potential and can be financially rewarding. To offer the most flexibility as an actuary, you will need to become a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries or Society of Casualty Actuaries. It typically takes five to ten years post-college to pass the examinations, which are very selective. An advantage over other professional studies is that you study while employed as an actuarial student and most employers pay for the exams if you pass them. Most actuaries are hired by insurance companies, consulting firms, governent or are in education . Thus, there are some limitations in the market for actuaries. Accounting positions are found in all sectors of industry. Many accountants specialize in one area, however. The most lucrative positions require a CPA. Especially right now, there is great demand for accountants. If you are interested in learning more about the actuarial exams and career, there is a link on <a href="http://www.soa.org%5B/url%5D">www.soa.org</a>.</p>
<p>I'm not majoring in acturial science, but I agree with redhare about the love for math. People who major in acturial science have to take fairly difficult mathematics courses that go far beyond the sort of math you normally need for other typical business disciplines. </p>
<p>To give you an idea of what I mean, the acturial science major is actually offered through the Mathematics Department at my school. The major requirements include multivariable calc, acturial theory courses, classes based on advanced statistics, and linear algebra. These are all highly quantitative courses that most business majors don't have to take unless they're majoring in perhaps management science.</p>
<p>It's also a general stereotype that actuaries (and even accountants for that matter) lack personality, but the image is changing. Since computers take care of grunt work, they now do more dynamic work.</p>
<p>thx for the help.</p>