2026 Best Actuarial Science Schools in the Far Western Region

Actuarial Science programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. The schools below stand out for the quality of their actuarial science programs.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for actuarial science students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

• Best Actuarial Science Schools in the Far Western Region

Best Schools for Actuarial Science in the Far Western Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall actuarial science education in the Far Western Region.

Top Schools in Actuarial Science

1

University Of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

89 Actuarial Science Degrees Awarded

$169,099 Median Starting Salary

No school ranked higher than University Of California Los Angeles this year for actuarial science. University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public school located in the city of Los Angeles. About 93% of students finish within six years. About 89 actuarial science degrees were awarded at University Of California Los Angeles in the most recent year. Students who receive their actuarial science degree from University Of California Los Angeles earn around $169,099 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $16,097 to complete this degree. See the full actuarial science program report for University Of California Los Angeles

2

University Of California Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

43 Actuarial Science Degrees Awarded

$66,099 Median Starting Salary

A rank of #2 makes University Of California Santa Barbara one of the top schools for actuarial science. Located in the suburb of Santa Barbara, University Of California Santa Barbara is a very large public university. University Of California Santa Barbara graduates 83% of students within six years. About 43 actuarial science degrees were awarded at University Of California Santa Barbara in the most recent year. Actuarial Science graduates of University Of California Santa Barbara earn a median of $66,099 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $11,128 to complete this degree. More information about a degree in actuarial science from University Of California Santa Barbara

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 8 schools evaluated.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.