Financial Manager
Median wage · national
$166,570
Range: $125K – $220K
Employed
842K
Openings/yr
75K
Typically: bachelor's degree
Personal Financial Advisor
With a national median of $105,070 and +9.6% projected job growth through 2034, Personal Financial Advisor offers both strong financial return and stable long-term demand.
About Personal Financial Advisor
Advise clients on financial plans using knowledge of tax and investment strategies, securities, insurance, pension plans, and real estate. Duties include assessing clients' assets, liabilities, cash flow, insurance coverage, tax status, and financial objectives. May also buy and sell financial assets for clients.
- Median Wage
- $105,070
- Employed Nationally
- 267K
- Openings / Year
- 24,100
- Entry Education
- Bachelor's degree
- Job Zone
- Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
Also known as:
Account Manager
Asset Analyst
Asset Manager
Budget Counselor
Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
How Much Do Personal Financial Advisors Make?
Personal Financial Advisor earn $105,070 nationally, well above the national median for college graduates. The middle 50% of earners fall between $72,440 and $176,790. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and location.
$105,070
National Median (Annual)
Well above average for college graduates.
$72K–$177K
Middle 50% Range
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Earnings Range
$72,440
Entry-level
$105,070
Median
$176,790
Experienced
The mean wage for this occupation is $156,670, above the median. A concentration of very high earners pulls the average up. The median is the better gauge of typical pay.
What Do Personal Financial Advisors Do?
O*NET data identifies 5 core activities and 5 measurable skills for Personal Financial Advisor roles. Use this section to judge whether the day-to-day reality aligns with what you actually want to spend time doing.
What You'll Do
- 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.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Active Listening
Reading Comprehension
Speaking
Writing
Critical Thinking
Who Thrives Here
E
Enterprising
Leadership, influence, and business acumen are rewarded here, where managing teams, driving decisions, or persuading others shapes career outcomes.
C
Conventional
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
S
Social
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
Where Do Personal Financial Advisors Work?
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
Moderate
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
What Is the Job Outlook for Personal Financial Advisors?
The BLS projects +9.6% employment change for Personal Financial Advisor through 2034, well above the national average of +5%. About 24,100 openings per year keep the field accessible to new entrants.
↗ +9.6%
10-Year Growth (2024–2034)
Faster than average.
24,100
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
267K
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2024.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Personal Financial Advisor professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $105,070 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 34,070 | $128,650 | +22.4% |
| 2 | New York | 28,820 | $167,970 | +59.9% |
| 3 | Florida | 21,230 | $88,040 | -16.2% |
| 4 | Texas | 17,570 | $82,180 | -21.8% |
| 5 | North Carolina | 12,850 | — | — |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
Most Personal Financial Advisor positions require a bachelor's degree to qualify. The 2 programs below are the most common academic pathways into this field, ranked by how many graduates they produce each year.
Typical Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
Job Zone
Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
These positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | 58,013 | $83,343 | 949 |
| 2 | Family and Consumer Economics | 1,208 | $53,262 | 32 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Personal Financial Advisors
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | 93 | $3,033 | $75,971 |
| 2 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 3 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL | 91 | $14,860 | $91,885 |
| 4 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | 90 | $15,846 | $91,565 |
| 5 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FL | 90 | $10,411 | $58,308 |
| 6 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL | 90 | $11,297 | $61,675 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Personal Financial Advisor, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Personal Financial Advisor pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Personal Financial Advisor Pros & Cons
Strong earnings and growing demand make Personal Financial Advisor a compelling path. The 4 strengths and 2 trade-offs below are drawn from BLS wage data and employment projections.
PROS
- Very high median salary The national median of $105,070 places this career well above average for college graduates, with significant upside at the 75th percentile.
- Fast-growing field At +9.6% projected growth through 2034, this career grows faster than the national average of about +5%. A strong signal for long-term demand.
- High earning ceiling Top earners (75th percentile) reach $176,790 annually. Strong performers, specialists, and those in high-cost markets have significant upside beyond the median.
- Wide job market 267K professionals are employed in this field, large enough to offer geographic flexibility and multiple entry paths.
CONS
- Multi-year ramp before career-level pay This is a Job Zone 4 occupation, these positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles. Most workers in this field spend their first several years at entry-level pay well below the $105,070 median while building the experience employers require.
- Entry-level pay well below the national median The 25th percentile wage of $72,440 is considerably below the $105,070 median. Early-career workers typically spend 5 or more years building toward typical pay. Factor this into any program ROI calculation.
Personal Financial Advisor Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Personal Financial Advisor professionals earn?
The national median annual wage for Personal Financial Advisor is $105,070, well into the top quartile of US wages. The middle 50% of earners fall between $72,440 and $176,790. Pay varies by employer size, industry sector, specialization, and geography. National figures are a starting point, not a guarantee.
Is Personal Financial Advisor a good career?
Yes, the data is strong. A $105,070 median with +9.6% projected growth through 2034 is a combination most career fields can't match. The real variable is early career: workers around the 25th percentile earn $72,440, so your first employer and location will shape your trajectory more than the national number suggests.
How long does it take to become a Personal Financial Advisor?
Expect 4 years of undergraduate education followed by 2 or more years of field experience before most employers consider you qualified for career-level positions. A bachelor's degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Finance are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $105,070 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
What is the job outlook for Personal Financial Advisor?
The BLS projects +9.6% employment change for Personal Financial Advisor through 2034, faster than average compared to all occupations. About 24,100 job openings per year are projected, including new positions and replacements for workers who retire or change careers. 267K people currently work in this occupation nationwide (BLS May 2024).
Why do Personal Financial Advisor salaries vary so widely?
The $104,350 gap between the 25th ($72,440) and 75th ($176,790) percentile reflects how much employer type, industry, specialization, and geography affect pay. Entry-level roles and lower-demand markets cluster near the bottom; senior, specialized, or high-cost-metro positions push the top. In fields with this much spread, where you work and what you specialize in often matters more than years of experience.
What skills do Personal Financial Advisor professionals need?
O*NET data identifies the core skills employers consistently prioritize for Personal Financial Advisor roles: Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Writing, and Critical Thinking. These develop through formal education and hands-on work. Programs with internship or co-op requirements give you a meaningful head start on the ones that take time to build.
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- Median wage
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Does a Master's Degree Pay Off? Barely, on Average
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
- Graduate school
- Career outcomes
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