Financial Advisor Salary.
Across 81 U.S. cities.
$88,000
estimated national base salary
$62,000 to $125,000. Last updated September 2026.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $105,070 for Personal Financial Advisors (SOC 13-2052) across the United States, based on 266,800 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$50,190
25th percentile
$72,440
Median
$105,070
75th percentile
$176,790
90th percentile
$357,020
Workers surveyed
266,800
What BLS published in each release
May 2024 release
$102,140
May 2025 release
$105,070
These are two separate published estimates, not a time series. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not encourage the use of OEWS data for time-series analysis. Differences between releases reflect changes in occupational classification, survey methodology, and the three-year pooled sample as well as any change in pay, so the two figures should not be read as a rate of wage growth.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Personal Financial Advisors (SOC 13-2052) rather than Financial Advisor specifically. The national range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 13-2052Highest Paying
$119,000
San Jose, CA
Best Purchasing Power
$92,000
Newark, NJ
Lowest Paying
$67,000
Charleston, WV
The salary figures on this page are computed estimates, not observed wages. Each one is a national role baseline scaled by a Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity cost-of-living multiplier (2025 index) and rounded to the nearest $1,000. No published wage percentile is consulted and no wage survey response enters the calculation, so an Orbyt estimate must not be cited as a Bureau of Labor Statistics figure or as measured pay. The published wage data Orbyt holds is Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, and Department of Labor H-1B Labor Condition Application filings, which record a filed minimum visa base wage rather than market pay. Where BLS publishes a wage for the occupation a role maps to, it is shown on that role's page as a separate benchmark, labelled with its occupation code, metro area and the number of employed workers it covers. Last updated September 2026. This role maps to BLS occupation code 13-2052. Full methodology.
Orbyt estimates the average Financial Advisor salary in the United States at $88,000 in 2026, within a range of $62,000 to $125,000. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page. San Jose is the highest of the 81 cities at $119,000, while Newark offers the best purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments. Assets under management (AUM) and client acquisition ability are the dominant pay factors.
Financial Advisor salary by city.
Skills that increase Financial Advisor pay.
The premiums below are Orbyt's modelled scenarios for Financial Advisors, not effects measured from job postings: each is a fixed percentage applied to the estimated base. At the top premium that works out to $12,320 a year.
≈ +$12,320 per year
≈ +$11,440 per year
≈ +$10,560 per year
≈ +$9,680 per year
≈ +$9,680 per year
≈ +$8,800 per year
≈ +$8,800 per year
≈ +$7,920 per year
What you should know.
Assets under management (AUM) and client acquisition ability are the dominant pay factors. Advisors managing $50 million or more in AUM earn substantially more through fee-based compensation. The wirehouse versus independent RIA distinction matters: wirehouses offer higher base salaries, while independent advisors have higher long-term earnings potential.
Associate advisors earn $50,000 to $70,000 during training. Advisors with established books earn $80,000 to $130,000. Senior advisors managing $50 million or more in AUM reach $150,000 to $250,000. Partners and principals at RIA firms with large AUM can earn $300,000 to $1 million or more.
Fee-based advisors earn 0.5 to 1.5% of AUM annually, making a $100 million book worth $500,000 to $1.5 million in annual revenue before firm payout. Commission-based advisors earn front-end loads and trailing commissions. Production bonuses and retention bonuses add 10 to 30% at wirehouses.
Total compensation breakdown.
Salary by company size
Remote salary adjustment
Remote Financial Advisors typically earn $79,000 (10% less than on-site). This reflects location-adjusted pay policies at companies using geographic salary bands. Some companies pay flat national rates regardless of location.
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Common questions about Financial Advisor pay.
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