Actuaries tend to have desk jobs and work within a professional office environment. They often work at least 40 hours a week. Some actuaries, particularly consulting actuaries, may travel to meet with clients. Consulting actuaries and actuaries who work in the investment banking field may experience a more unpredictable schedule and be expected to work more than 40 hours per week.

On the whole, the actuarial profession affords the opportunity for individuals to achieve a good balance between their work and personal life. As evidence of that, many resources, including the Jobs Rated Almanac, have consistently rated the actuarial profession as a top-ranked job based upon factors including physical demands, job security, and stress, among other criteria.