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<edgarSubmission xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/ncen" xmlns:com="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">
  <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>
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    <submissionType>N-CEN</submissionType>
    <filerInfo>
      <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>
      <filer>
        <issuerCredentials>
          <cik>0001067490</cik>
          <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
        </issuerCredentials>
        <fileNumber>811-08963</fileNumber>
      </filer>
      <investmentCompanyType>N-4</investmentCompanyType>
    </filerInfo>
    <seriesClass>
      <reportClass>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000017018</classId>
        </classInfo>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000017019</classId>
        </classInfo>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000135792</classId>
        </classInfo>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000053679</classId>
        </classInfo>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000017020</classId>
        </classInfo>
      </reportClass>
    </seriesClass>
  </headerData>
  <formData>
    <generalInfo reportEndingPeriod="2018-12-31" isReportPeriodLt12="N"/>
    <registrantInfo>
      <registrantFullName>TIAA CREF Life Separate Account VA-1</registrantFullName>
      <investmentCompFileNo>811-08963</investmentCompFileNo>
      <registrantCik>0001067490</registrantCik>
      <registrantLei>549300YNSPEIL6PNC533</registrantLei>
      <registrantstreet1>730 Third Avenue</registrantstreet1>
      <registrantcity>New York</registrantcity>
      <registrantzipCode>10017-3206</registrantzipCode>
      <registrantstate>US-NY</registrantstate>
      <registrantcountry>US</registrantcountry>
      <registrantphoneNumber>212-490-9000</registrantphoneNumber>
      <websites>
        <website webpage="www.tiaa.org"/>
      </websites>
      <locationBooksRecords>
        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>State Street Global Services</officeName>
          <officeAddress1>801 Pennsylvania</officeAddress1>
          <officeCity>Kansas City</officeCity>
          <officeStateCountry officeCountry="US" officeState="US-MO"/>
          <officeRecordsZipCode>64105</officeRecordsZipCode>
          <officePhone>816-871-1629</officePhone>
          <booksRecordsDesc>Custody and accounting records</booksRecordsDesc>
        </locationBooksRecord>
      </locationBooksRecords>
      <isRegistrantFirstFiling>Y</isRegistrantFirstFiling>
      <isRegistrantLastFiling>N</isRegistrantLastFiling>
      <registrantFamilyInvComp isRegistrantFamilyInvComp="Y" familyInvCompFullName="TIAA-CREF"/>
      <registrantClassificationType>N-4</registrantClassificationType>
      <totalSeries>1</totalSeries>
      <isSecuritiesActRegistration>Y</isSecuritiesActRegistration>
      <chiefComplianceOfficers>
        <chiefComplianceOfficer>
          <ccoName>Peter E. Pisapia</ccoName>
          <crdNumber>N/A</crdNumber>
          <ccoStreet1>730 Third Avenue</ccoStreet1>
          <ccoCity>New York</ccoCity>
          <ccoStateCountry ccoCountry="US" ccoState="US-NY"/>
          <ccoZipCode>10017</ccoZipCode>
          <ccoPhone>XXXXXX</ccoPhone>
          <isCcoChangedSinceLastFiling>N</isCcoChangedSinceLastFiling>
          <ccoEmployers>
            <ccoEmployer ccoEmployerName="N/A" ccoEmployerId="N/A"/>
          </ccoEmployers>
        </chiefComplianceOfficer>
      </chiefComplianceOfficers>
      <isRegistrantSubmittedMatter>N</isRegistrantSubmittedMatter>
      <isPreviousLegalProceeding>N</isPreviousLegalProceeding>
      <isPreviousProceedingTerminated>N</isPreviousProceedingTerminated>
      <isClaimFiled>N</isClaimFiled>
      <isFinancialSupportDuringPeriod>N</isFinancialSupportDuringPeriod>
      <isExemptionFromAct>N</isExemptionFromAct>
      <principalUnderwriters>
        <principalUnderwriter>
          <principalUnderwriterName>TIAA-CREF Individual &amp; Institutional Services LLC</principalUnderwriterName>
          <principalUnderwriterFileNumber>8-44454</principalUnderwriterFileNumber>
          <principalUnderwriterCrdNumber>N/A</principalUnderwriterCrdNumber>
          <principalUnderwriterLei>N/A</principalUnderwriterLei>
          <principalUnderWriterStateCountry principalUnderWriterCountry="US" principalUnderWriterState="US-NY"/>
          <isPrincipalUnderwriterAffiliatedWithRegistrant>Y</isPrincipalUnderwriterAffiliatedWithRegistrant>
        </principalUnderwriter>
      </principalUnderwriters>
      <isUnderwriterHiredOrTerminated>N</isUnderwriterHiredOrTerminated>
      <publicAccountants>
        <publicAccountant>
          <publicAccountantName>Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP</publicAccountantName>
          <pcaobNumber>238</pcaobNumber>
          <publicAccountantLei>5493002GVO7EO8RNNS37</publicAccountantLei>
          <publicAccountantStateCountry publicAccountantCountry="US" publicAccountantState="US-NC"/>
        </publicAccountant>
      </publicAccountants>
      <isPublicAccountantChanged>N</isPublicAccountantChanged>
      <isOpinionOffered>N</isOpinionOffered>
      <isMaterialChange>N</isMaterialChange>
      <isAccountingPrincipleChange>N</isAccountingPrincipleChange>
    </registrantInfo>
    <unitInvestmentTrust>
      <depositors>
        <depositor>
          <depositorName>Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America</depositorName>
          <depositorCrdNo>N/A</depositorCrdNo>
          <depositorLei>N/A</depositorLei>
          <depositorStateCountry depositorCountry="US" depositorState="US-NY"/>
          <depositorUltimateParentname>Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America</depositorUltimateParentname>
        </depositor>
      </depositors>
      <uitAdmins>
        <uitAdmin>
          <uitAdminName>Teachers Advisors, LLC</uitAdminName>
          <uitAdminLei>N/A</uitAdminLei>
          <uitAdminDescOtherNumber>N/A</uitAdminDescOtherNumber>
          <uitAdminStateCountry uitAdminState="US-NY" uitAdminCountry="US"/>
          <isUitAdminAffiliated>Y</isUitAdminAffiliated>
          <isUitAdminSubAdmin>N</isUitAdminSubAdmin>
        </uitAdmin>
        <uitAdmin>
          <uitAdminName>TIAA-CREF Individual &amp; Institutional Services , LLC</uitAdminName>
          <uitAdminLei>N/A</uitAdminLei>
          <uitAdminDescOtherNumber>N/A</uitAdminDescOtherNumber>
          <uitAdminStateCountry uitAdminState="US-NY" uitAdminCountry="US"/>
          <isUitAdminAffiliated>Y</isUitAdminAffiliated>
          <isUitAdminSubAdmin>N</isUitAdminSubAdmin>
        </uitAdmin>
      </uitAdmins>
      <isUitAdminHiredTerminated>N</isUitAdminHiredTerminated>
      <registrantSeparateInsuranceAccount isRegistrantSeparateInsuranceAccount="Y" separateAccountSeriesId="S000006179"/>
      <numOfContracts>23790</numOfContracts>
      <contractSecurities>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="TIAA Life Separate Account VA-1" separateAccountContractId="C000017018" separateAccountTotalAsset="177009596.00000000" numContractsSold="0" grossPremiumReceived="3423952.00000000" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0.00000000" numContractsAffected="0" contractValueRedeemed="18366986.00000000" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="0.00000000" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="0"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="TIAA Life Separate Account VA-1" separateAccountContractId="C000017019" separateAccountTotalAsset="59593544" numContractsSold="0" grossPremiumReceived="3423952" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" numContractsAffected="0" contractValueRedeemed="7346794" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="0" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="0"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="TIAA Life Separate Account VA-1" separateAccountContractId="C000017020" separateAccountTotalAsset="368911512" numContractsSold="67" grossPremiumReceived="20543710" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="1129714" numContractsAffected="14" contractValueRedeemed="40407368" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="1129714" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="14"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="TIAA Life Separate Account VA-1" separateAccountContractId="C000053679" separateAccountTotalAsset="1867208166" numContractsSold="1277" grossPremiumReceived="315003552" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="82065688" numContractsAffected="1017" contractValueRedeemed="117548708" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="82065688" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="1017"/>
      </contractSecurities>
      <isRule6C7Reliance>N</isRule6C7Reliance>
      <isRule11A2Reliance>N</isRule11A2Reliance>
    </unitInvestmentTrust>
    <signature registrantSignedName="TIAA CREF Life Separate Account VA-1" signedDate="2019-02-27" signature="/s/ Adam Elmore" title="VP, Investment Reporting and Oversight"/>
  </formData>
</edgarSubmission>
