Difficulty: For most people the CPA exams are easier than actuarial exams. Actuarial exams test more difficult concepts and get harder as the candidate progresses through them. Number of Exams: Actuaries need to pass 10 exams in order to be fully qualified, whereas accountants have to pass 4 exams within 18 months.

It makes sense for actuarial examinations to have very high standards. And actuaries are paid very well, while having prestigious, comfortable jobs, with low stress levels, and no unemployment. There has to be a catch, and the catch is: it is hard, very hard, to become a fully qualified professional actuary.

To enter the occupation, actuaries typically need a bachelor's degree in mathematics, actuarial science, statistics, or some other analytical field. Students must complete coursework in subjects such as economics, applied statistics, and corporate finance and must pass a series of exams to become certified.