Financial Risk Specialist salary in the U.S.
Financial Risk Specialists in the U.S. earn a median of $117,330 a year ($56.41 an hour), based on BLS data for 63,850 workers.
Pay ranges from $64,820 for the lowest-paid 10% to $196,110 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $124,420, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for financial risk specialists in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $64,820 | $31.17 |
| 25th percentile | $83,980 | $40.37 |
| Median | $117,330 | $56.41 |
| 75th percentile | $158,250 | $76.08 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $196,110 | $94.29 |
| Average (mean) | $124,420 | $59.82 |
Half of financial risk specialists earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $9,777.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,888.75 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $4,512.69 |
| Weekly | $2,256.35 |
| Hourly | $56.41 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Financial Risk Specialist salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $158,320 | 300 |
| Maine | $141,020 | n/a |
| Delaware | $139,440 | 1,160 |
| New York | $136,830 | 12,060 |
| North Carolina | $132,040 | 3,200 |
| Massachusetts | $130,400 | 1,440 |
| New Jersey | $129,220 | 2,760 |
| California | $129,110 | 5,740 |
| Virginia | $126,510 | 1,770 |
| Washington | $123,150 | 900 |
| Colorado | $120,300 | 1,050 |
| Wyoming | $119,550 | 170 |
| Maryland | $117,130 | 890 |
| Connecticut | $113,990 | 660 |
| Oregon | $109,580 | 430 |
| Iowa | $105,680 | 530 |
| Minnesota | $105,420 | 1,190 |
| Rhode Island | $104,470 | 450 |
| Illinois | $104,300 | 2,920 |
| Michigan | $103,940 | 1,150 |
| Texas | $103,760 | 4,780 |
| Pennsylvania | $103,040 | 2,370 |
| Arizona | $102,800 | 1,700 |
| Montana | $100,920 | 50 |
| Missouri | $100,620 | 1,070 |
| Georgia | $100,570 | 2,180 |
| Nevada | $100,010 | 570 |
| Florida | $99,900 | 3,770 |
| South Carolina | $99,520 | 560 |
| Indiana | $99,250 | 380 |
| District of Columbia | $99,230 | 210 |
| Ohio | $98,650 | 2,110 |
| Wisconsin | $97,820 | 610 |
| Mississippi | $96,100 | 230 |
| West Virginia | $94,350 | 50 |
| Nebraska | $94,280 | 250 |
| Tennessee | $90,950 | 540 |
| Hawaii | $89,860 | 90 |
| New Mexico | $87,260 | 180 |
| Alaska | $85,370 | 50 |
| Oklahoma | $85,140 | 330 |
| Kansas | $84,790 | 150 |
| Alabama | $81,750 | 180 |
| South Dakota | $78,960 | 130 |
| Utah | $77,770 | 630 |
| Idaho | $76,870 | 270 |
| Kentucky | $74,640 | 500 |
| North Dakota | $74,630 | 90 |
| Arkansas | $66,110 | 150 |
| Puerto Rico | $60,360 | 290 |
| Louisiana | $58,440 | 520 |
Best-paying metro areas for financial risk specialists
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $167,440 | 1,380 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $166,240 | 480 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $139,670 | 12,770 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $134,330 | 550 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $133,530 | 1,880 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $132,580 | 1,120 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $132,480 | 220 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $131,630 | 180 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $130,880 | 2,340 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $126,510 | 1,400 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $126,500 | 100 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $126,430 | n/a |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $125,020 | 60 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $124,340 | 140 |
| Dover, DE | $122,930 | 40 |
Metro areas with the most financial risk specialists
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 12,770 | $139,670 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 2,360 | $105,370 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 2,340 | $130,880 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,320 | $103,760 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 1,880 | $133,530 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 1,540 | $113,230 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1,400 | $104,850 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,400 | $126,510 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,380 | $167,440 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,310 | $101,990 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,120 | $132,580 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 990 | $104,500 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 940 | $105,420 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 810 | $98,820 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 740 | $118,620 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,680 | $40.23 |
| Financial and Investment Analysts | $102,740 | $49.40 |
| Loan Officer | $76,690 | $36.87 |
| Personal Financial Advisor | $105,070 | $50.51 |
| Financial Specialists, All Other | $81,100 | $38.99 |
| Insurance Underwriter | $81,370 | $39.12 |
| Tax Preparer | $54,920 | $26.40 |
| Financial Examiner | $94,160 | $45.27 |
| Credit Analyst | $83,510 | $40.15 |
| Property Appraisers and Assessors | $67,960 | $32.67 |
| Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents | $62,370 | $29.98 |
| Budget Analyst | $91,640 | $44.06 |
| Credit Counselor | $52,230 | $25.11 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | $83,050 | $39.93 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 13-2054. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a financial risk specialist make in the U.S.?
The median salary for financial risk specialists in the U.S. is $117,330 a year, or $56.41 an hour. Pay ranges from $64,820 for the lowest-paid 10% to $196,110 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid financial risk specialists make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of financial risk specialists in the U.S. earn at least $196,110 a year. The top 25% earn $158,250 or more.
What is the starting pay for financial risk specialists in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $64,820 a year, and a quarter of financial risk specialists earn $83,980 or less.
How many financial risk specialists work in the U.S.?
About 63,850 financial risk specialists are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.