Personal Financial Advisor salary in the U.S.
Personal Financial Advisors in the U.S. earn a median of $105,070 a year ($50.51 an hour), based on BLS data for 266,800 workers.
Pay ranges from $50,190 for the lowest-paid 10% to $357,020 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $156,670, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for personal financial advisors in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $50,190 | $24.13 |
| 25th percentile | $72,440 | $34.83 |
| Median | $105,070 | $50.51 |
| 75th percentile | $176,790 | $84.99 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $357,020 | $171.65 |
| Average (mean) | $156,670 | $75.32 |
Half of personal financial advisors 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 | $8,755.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,377.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $4,041.15 |
| Weekly | $2,020.58 |
| Hourly | $50.51 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Personal Financial Advisor salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $166,400 | 21,550 |
| New Jersey | $158,570 | 9,300 |
| California | $130,330 | 32,200 |
| Connecticut | $129,720 | n/a |
| South Dakota | $128,720 | 620 |
| Massachusetts | $125,670 | n/a |
| Delaware | $125,050 | n/a |
| Oregon | $122,830 | 3,070 |
| Illinois | $120,130 | 9,760 |
| Wisconsin | $119,430 | 5,200 |
| Washington | $114,050 | 5,790 |
| Vermont | $110,020 | 520 |
| Pennsylvania | $105,200 | 12,200 |
| District of Columbia | $104,990 | 480 |
| Minnesota | $102,660 | 5,280 |
| Virginia | $102,640 | 6,340 |
| Kansas | $102,530 | 4,150 |
| Georgia | $101,450 | 6,830 |
| Florida | $100,970 | 21,490 |
| Missouri | $99,930 | 4,480 |
| Maryland | $99,880 | 5,260 |
| Texas | $99,160 | 18,200 |
| Montana | $97,450 | n/a |
| Arizona | $96,950 | 6,430 |
| North Carolina | $96,880 | 12,340 |
| New Hampshire | $96,780 | 1,850 |
| South Carolina | $96,330 | 2,400 |
| Idaho | $94,370 | 760 |
| New Mexico | $94,270 | 610 |
| Nebraska | $93,280 | 2,210 |
| Nevada | $92,720 | 1,730 |
| Iowa | $92,310 | 1,920 |
| Ohio | $90,990 | 7,680 |
| Colorado | $89,280 | 6,730 |
| Indiana | $87,710 | 5,400 |
| Tennessee | $84,160 | 3,970 |
| Rhode Island | $80,200 | 1,130 |
| West Virginia | $80,010 | 670 |
| Arkansas | $79,420 | 1,320 |
| Alaska | $78,690 | n/a |
| Alabama | $77,990 | 2,540 |
| Michigan | $77,930 | 6,570 |
| Wyoming | $77,490 | 310 |
| Utah | $77,390 | 2,520 |
| North Dakota | $76,870 | 540 |
| Hawaii | $76,070 | 550 |
| Oklahoma | $68,670 | 1,140 |
| Kentucky | $67,150 | 2,040 |
| Mississippi | $63,300 | 790 |
Best-paying metro areas for personal financial advisors
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $170,050 | 23,980 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $160,610 | 7,130 |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $159,990 | 100 |
| Springfield, IL | $154,370 | 100 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $145,190 | 40 |
| Bloomington, IL | $141,070 | 60 |
| Santa Fe, NM | $138,790 | 110 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $136,820 | 1,530 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $135,770 | 2,500 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $133,900 | 40 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $133,200 | 50 |
| Bend, OR | $133,080 | 150 |
| Great Falls, MT | $131,270 | 60 |
| Ithaca, NY | $130,940 | 40 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $130,330 | 3,010 |
Metro areas with the most personal financial advisors
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 23,980 | $170,050 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 13,980 | $124,490 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 8,390 | $125,670 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 8,370 | $113,210 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 7,390 | $116,560 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 7,130 | $160,610 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 5,000 | $103,680 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 4,850 | $99,440 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 4,700 | $98,740 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 4,690 | $103,990 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 4,330 | $106,230 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 4,150 | $103,410 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 4,130 | $98,930 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 3,940 | $114,540 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 3,660 | $82,580 |
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 |
| 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 |
| Financial Risk Specialist | $117,330 | $56.41 |
| 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 13-2052. 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 personal financial advisor make in the U.S.?
The median salary for personal financial advisors in the U.S. is $105,070 a year, or $50.51 an hour. Pay ranges from $50,190 for the lowest-paid 10% to $357,020 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid personal financial advisors make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of personal financial advisors in the U.S. earn at least $357,020 a year. The top 25% earn $176,790 or more.
What is the starting pay for personal financial advisors in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $50,190 a year, and a quarter of personal financial advisors earn $72,440 or less.
How many personal financial advisors work in the U.S.?
About 266,800 personal financial advisors are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.