[rhizome]

If you think that you can pass actuarial exams, then I would say to give it a try. However, you must understand that it is not the easiest profession. Very, Very few people become fellows in under 5 years. For most, it takes about 10 years. You have to be very dedicated or else you will be asking similar questions again in a few years.

I've been in the profession for almost 6 years now and I don't know if I would do it over again. The work is nice. The pay is nice. But the exams truely suck. Getting a master's degree is a breeze in comparision. I don't know you or have an assessment of how you might do, but just realize that it is not as easy as it sounds. Even if the 1st exam is easy for you -- they won't all be that way. The passing rate is only about 40% per exam and I would say that most actuarial students study more than 300 hours per exam. Are you willing to spend that much time and still have a high probability of failure? If not, then you shouldn't consider it an option.

You might also want to consider going the CFA route. Best of luck in whatever you try.