Personal financial advisors salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $50,190 | $24.13 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $105,070 | $50.51 |
| Mean (average) | $156,670 | $75.32 |
| 90th percentile | $357,020 | $171.65 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Personal financial advisors pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 52 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $77,990 | $42,150 | $342,030 | 2,540 | 0.7 |
| Alaska | $78,690 | $50,790 | $156,830 | ||
| Arizona | $96,950 | $45,330 | $212,630 | 6,430 | 1.16 |
| Arkansas | $79,420 | $36,710 | $207,560 | 1,320 | 0.59 |
| California | $130,330 | $67,690 | $393,860 | 32,200 | 1.03 |
| Colorado | $89,280 | $57,020 | $269,500 | 6,730 | 1.36 |
| Connecticut | $129,720 | $59,890 | $388,240 | ||
| Delaware | $125,050 | $44,340 | $218,710 | ||
| District of Columbia | $104,990 | $58,790 | $370,880 | 480 | 0.4 |
| Florida | $100,970 | $48,950 | $395,370 | 21,490 | 1.26 |
| Georgia | $101,450 | $46,180 | $367,640 | 6,830 | 0.81 |
| Hawaii | $76,070 | $48,060 | $314,250 | 550 | 0.51 |
| Idaho | $94,370 | $44,500 | $252,340 | 760 | 0.51 |
| Illinois | $120,130 | $51,820 | $328,650 | 9,760 | 0.93 |
| Indiana | $87,710 | $44,150 | $319,330 | 5,400 | 0.98 |
| Iowa | $92,310 | $51,310 | $268,860 | 1,920 | 0.72 |
| Kansas | $102,530 | $56,830 | $318,200 | 4,150 | 1.68 |
| Kentucky | $67,150 | $43,880 | $281,230 | 2,040 | 0.6 |
| Louisiana | Data unavailable | 1,470 | 0.44 | ||
| Maine | Data unavailable | 850 | 0.78 | ||
| Maryland | $99,880 | $47,810 | $378,060 | 5,260 | 1.11 |
| Massachusetts | $125,670 | $58,510 | $478,850 | ||
| Michigan | $77,930 | $44,780 | $288,860 | 6,570 | 0.87 |
| Minnesota | $102,660 | $47,520 | $310,730 | 5,280 | 1.04 |
| Mississippi | $63,300 | $43,880 | $312,580 | 790 | 0.4 |
| Missouri | $99,930 | $51,470 | $313,230 | 4,480 | 0.89 |
| Montana | $97,450 | $55,010 | $241,240 | ||
| Nebraska | $93,280 | $52,370 | $214,280 | 2,210 | 1.26 |
| Nevada | $92,720 | $45,050 | $224,670 | 1,730 | 0.65 |
| New Hampshire | $96,780 | $57,700 | $311,810 | 1,850 | 1.57 |
| New Jersey | $158,570 | $78,860 | $374,530 | 9,300 | 1.27 |
| New Mexico | $94,270 | $56,450 | $403,970 | 610 | 0.41 |
| New York | $166,400 | $76,190 | $427,700 | 21,550 | 1.3 |
| North Carolina | $96,880 | $48,790 | $287,290 | 12,340 | 1.46 |
| North Dakota | $76,870 | $59,470 | $135,470 | 540 | 0.73 |
| Ohio | $90,990 | $49,400 | $222,060 | 7,680 | 0.81 |
| Oklahoma | $68,670 | $36,920 | $176,920 | 1,140 | 0.39 |
| Oregon | $122,830 | $54,940 | $459,050 | 3,070 | 0.91 |
| Pennsylvania | $105,200 | $59,960 | $392,900 | 12,200 | 1.17 |
| Puerto Rico | Data unavailable | 440 | 0.28 | ||
| Rhode Island | $80,200 | $46,670 | $164,230 | 1,130 | 1.31 |
| South Carolina | $96,330 | $45,420 | $250,180 | 2,400 | 0.61 |
| South Dakota | $128,720 | $77,280 | $337,140 | 620 | 0.79 |
| Tennessee | $84,160 | $44,170 | $406,200 | 3,970 | 0.71 |
| Texas | $99,160 | $46,450 | $359,040 | 18,200 | 0.75 |
| Utah | $77,390 | $47,840 | $208,970 | 2,520 | 0.85 |
| Vermont | $110,020 | $58,150 | $241,610 | 520 | 1.01 |
| Virginia | $102,640 | $51,440 | $420,980 | 6,340 | 0.9 |
| Washington | $114,050 | $58,650 | $344,850 | 5,790 | 0.95 |
| West Virginia | $80,010 | $45,020 | $219,510 | 670 | 0.56 |
| Wisconsin | $119,430 | $51,760 | $401,510 | 5,200 | 1.03 |
| Wyoming | $77,490 | $50,390 | $330,360 | 310 | 0.65 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for personal financial advisors
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 17,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 9.7%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for personal financial advisors
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Family Resource Management Studies, General CIP 19.0401
- Finance, General CIP 52.0801
- Financial Planning and Services CIP 52.0804
Licenses and certifications
Chartered Financial Analyst
CFA Institute
Certified Financial Planner
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP Board)
Requirements for regulated professions are set by each state. Always confirm with the state regulator.
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Interview clients to determine their current income, expenses, insurance coverage, tax status, financial objectives, risk tolerance, or other information needed to develop a financial plan.
- Analyze financial information obtained from clients to determine strategies for meeting clients' financial objectives.
- Answer clients' questions about the purposes and details of financial plans and strategies.
- Review clients' accounts and plans regularly to determine whether life changes, economic changes, environmental concerns, or financial performance indicate a need for plan reassessment.
- Manage client portfolios, keeping client plans up-to-date.
- Recommend to clients strategies in cash management, insurance coverage, investment planning, or other areas to help them achieve their financial goals.
- Recommend financial products, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or insurance.
- Implement financial planning recommendations, or refer clients to someone who can assist them with plan implementation.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Microsoft SQL Server (hot technology)
- Microsoft Visual Basic (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Salesforce software (hot technology)
- Structured query language SQL (hot technology)
- Swift (hot technology)
- ACT! ACT4Advisors
- ASI Client Acquisition Solution
- Advent Axys
- AdviceAmerica AdvisorVision
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Persuasion, Systems Analysis.
Common job titles: Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Financial Advisor, Financial Consultant, Financial Counselor, Financial Life Planner, Financial Planner, Investment Advisor, Portfolio Manager, Wealth Advisor, Wealth Manager.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do personal financial advisors make?
The national median annual wage for personal financial advisors was $105,070 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $50,190 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $357,020. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do personal financial advisors need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and long-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is personal financial advisors a growing career?
BLS projects employment of personal financial advisors to change +1.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 17,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay personal financial advisors the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were New York ($166,400), New Jersey ($158,570), California ($130,330). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.