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2026 Best Actuarial Science Schools in the The Plains States Region

5 Colleges in the United States
118 Actuarial Science Degrees Awarded
$78,289 Avg Early-Career Salary

Actuarial Science degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. The schools below stand out for the quality of their actuarial science programs.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 22 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 Schools for Actuarial Science in the The Plains States Region

If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the actuarial science degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in Actuarial Science

1
University Of Iowa crest
University Of Iowa
Iowa City, IA

Leading the list is University Of Iowa, our #1 school for actuarial science. University Of Iowa is a very large public school located in the city of Iowa City. University Of Iowa graduates 75% of students within six years. About 19 actuarial science degrees were awarded at University Of Iowa in the most recent year. Actuarial Science graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $90,168 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $21,500. More information about a degree in actuarial science from University Of Iowa

2

University Of St Thomas Minnesota came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best actuarial science schools. Located in the city of Saint Paul, University Of St Thomas Minnesota is a large private not-for-profit university. About 77% of students finish within six years. About 19 actuarial science degrees were awarded at University Of St Thomas Minnesota in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, actuarial science degree recipients from University Of St Thomas Minnesota generally make around $92,194. Typical student debt for the program is $18,500. Get the full actuarial science details for University Of St Thomas Minnesota

3
Drake University crest
Drake University
Des Moines, IA

A rank of #3 makes Drake University one of the top schools for actuarial science. Set in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 73% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 22 actuarial science degrees were awarded at Drake University in the most recent year. Actuarial Science graduates of Drake University earn a median of $80,044 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $23,979. Read more about the actuarial science program at Drake University

4

Students looking for a strong actuarial science program will find one at University Of Nebraska Lincoln, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Lincoln, University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a very large public institution. University Of Nebraska Lincoln graduates 67% of students within six years. University Of Nebraska Lincoln awarded about 47 actuarial science degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the actuarial science program make about $75,137 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $24,250. Get the full actuarial science details for University Of Nebraska Lincoln

5

Students looking for a strong actuarial science program will find one at Iowa State University, which ranked #5. This very large public university is located in the city of Ames. Iowa State University graduates 75% of students within six years. There were roughly 11 actuarial science students who graduated with this degree at Iowa State University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their actuarial science degree from Iowa State University earn around $53,900 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $23,495 to complete this degree. See the full actuarial science program report for Iowa State University

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Notes and References

This list is compiled 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 · 22 schools evaluated.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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