Financial Advisor Salary: Your 2026 Guide

Key takeaways

Financial advisors guide individuals, families, and businesses on various topics, such as investment management, mortgage planning, and tax strategy.

• The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a robust 10 percent growth in the field from 2024 to 2034 [1].

• Financial advisors might be registered investment advisors, certified financial planners, chartered financial consultants, wealth advisors, or, in some cases, Certified Public Accountants (CPAs).

• You can pursue further degrees and certifications like the Chartered Financial Analysts (CFAs), Certified Financial Planners (CFPs), or Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) license to boost your earning potential.

Learn more about the different types of financial advisors, the factors that affect your salary as a financial advisor, and the requirements for further certification in your career. Start building your financial education in just three months with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Accounting Data Analytics Specialization to learn about data analytics skills you can use when evaluating finances.

What is a financial advisor?

Financial advisors take an active role in helping their clients create, manage, and reach their financial goals; this can mean providing guidance on risk management, taxes, investment strategies, and planning for retirement. Their client base can be individuals, families, small businesses, and multinational corporations.

Common activities involve creating a comprehensive financial plan, analyzing investment opportunities, and recommending strategies for minimizing taxes and managing risk. Additionally, financial advisors can help clients navigate complex financial situations, such as the birth of a child, the purchase of a home, or a sudden windfall.

Several different types of financial advisors exist, each with their own areas of expertise and qualifications. These include:

• Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs): The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), or general state regulators, register and regulate RIAs. RIAs advise clients on securities investments, and they must act in the best interests of their clients. They typically receive pay based on a fee structure determined by a percentage of the assets they manage.

• Certified Financial Planners (CFPs): CFPs complete a rigorous education and certification process and must adhere to a strict code of ethics. This credential helps establish expertise, making it easier to attract clients for comprehensive financial planning services. Services include estate planning, retirement planning, and investment management.

• Chartered Financial Analysts (CFAs): CFAs complete a series of exams and have extensive knowledge of investments and financial analysis. They often work in portfolio management or wealth planning roles.

• Insurance agents: Insurance agents specialize in helping clients choose and manage insurance policies, such as life insurance and disability insurance. You must obtain a license from your state’s insurance commission for this role.

• Certified Public Accountants (CPA): Certified Public Accountants are professionals who specialize in accounting and receive a license from the state’s Board of Accountancy are CPAs. They must pass rigorous exams, attain a certain level of education, and have multiple years of experience to gain a state-issued license. In a financial advisor position, they’ll likely focus on offering tax advice.

What is the average financial advisor salary?

According to the BLS, personal financial advisors in the United States earn a median of $102,140 annually [2]. Compared to the national average of $49,500 across all jobs in 2024, financial advisors have considerably higher earning potential [2]. Additional salaries for financial advisors reported by four different organizations follow [3, 4, 5, 6]:

*All salary data as of March 2026. Glassdoor salary information represents the median total pay. This figure includes base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

However, your pay as a financial advisor depends on your education, certifications, experience, and location.

What factors impact the salary of a financial advisor?

As a financial advisor, your yearly salary depends upon various factors, including your education level, the specific certifications you attain, your location, and your experience level.

• Education: Most financial advisors hold a bachelor’s degree, often in business, accounting, economics, or finance. According to Zippia, financial advisors with a bachelor's degree earn an average of $68,144 per year [5]. An advanced degree may help boost your earning potential in this field. Financial advisors with a master's degree earn an average of $74,942, according to Zippia [5]. Furthermore, candidates with advanced degrees often hold senior-level roles, such as financial manager.

• Certification: Several certifications for financial analysts recognized in the financial industry can also be beneficial. Two well-known and respected certifications are the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) certification. Take a closer look at each below.

Chartered Financial Analyst: How much does a CFA make? 

The CFA designation, awarded by the CFA Institute, is a global credential. To obtain the CFA designation, candidates must pass three exams covering economics, ethics, financial analysis, and portfolio management. Additionally, three years of relevant experience, a bachelor’s degree, and acceptance of the institute’s code of ethics is required. The industry holds this designation in high regard. It’s often considered a prerequisite for many high-level positions in finance. CFAs make an average annual salary of $185,000 [8].

Certified Financial Planner: How much does a CFP make?

This certification, awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, has stringent prerequisites, including a bachelor’s degree, 6,000 hours of professional experience in financial planning, completion of CFP Board-registered education, and a certification exam. The CFP certification covers various financial planning topics, including retirement, estate, tax, and insurance. Financial advisors who hold the CFP certification receive recognition for their comprehensive financial planning knowledge and their commitment to ethical standards. According to Glassdoor, CFPs make an average annual salary of $182,000 [9].

FINRA licensure

A FINRA license efers to a securities license granted by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), a self-regulatory organization that strives to protect investors and the market by overseeing the US securities industry. For some job titles, including financial advisors, FINRA licenses are a requirement.

Several types of FINRA licenses, also known as registrations or qualifications, exist for individuals seeking specific roles in the industry. To obtain a FINRA license, individuals must pass a qualifying exam and register with FINRA. They must also work for a FINRA-registered firm and adhere to FINRA rules and regulations. Salaries will vary; however, attaining a FINRA license can boost your earning potential. For example, Salary.com estimates that investment analysts make around $112,394, while a FINRA-registered analyst averages $130,605 [10, 11].

How to become a financial advisor

To become a financial advisor, you must typically earn a bachelor’s degree in a related field like finance, economics, or accounting and obtain specific licensure to sell securities or provide investment advice. While an entry-level degree provides the foundation, most successful advisors pursue advanced designations such as the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) or Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) to build credibility and expertise in estate planning, taxes, and risk management.

In addition to academic credentials, you must often pass FINRA exams (such as the Series 7 and Series 66) depending on the financial products you intend to manage. Beyond the technical requirements, the role demands strong interpersonal skills to manage client relationships and explain complex market trends in simple terms. Building a client base often starts with joining an established firm to gain the professional experience required for high-level senior roles.

Experience

As you gain experience and move from entry-level to senior-level roles, the salary you can expect rises. According to Glassdoor, financial advisors with 10 to 14 years of experience in the field make an average annual salary of $176,000 [3].

Location

Location is another significant factor determining your salary due to variances in the cost of living between cities and the overall demand in specific locations. Financial advisors working in major cities make more money on average, with New York City and Boston being two of the top cities. The top five cities for average financial advisor salary are below [5]:

Job outlook for financial advisors

According to the BLS, the job market for financial advisors in the United States will grow 10 percent from 2024 to 2034. This equates to an average of 24,100 job openings per year for financial advisors during that span [1].

In addition to increasing job demand, financial advisors often enjoy flexible work environments, including working independently or as part of larger financial institutions such as banks or brokerage firms.

Important skills for financial advisors

Success in this field requires a complex set of technical and workplace skills. Three examples of each type of skills essential for financial advisors to possess are as follows:

Technical skills

• Knowledge of finance and investment: Financial advisors must deeply understand the financial markets, investment products, and financial planning strategies.

• Analytical skills: Financial advisors regularly use insights from financial data to assess risk and reward and develop investment plans that align with their clients' financial goals.

• Sales skills: Financial advisors use these skills to sell themselves and their services to potential clients, which requires communicating complex financial information clearly to best meet a client’s needs and goals.

Workplace skills

• Communication: You’ll use your communication skills to communicate with clients and build interpersonal relationships with colleagues, associates, and stakeholders. You must transform complicated information into simple, understandable terms and actively listen to your client's needs and concerns.

• Interpersonal skills: Financial advisors need to build strong relationships with clients, which requires the ability to establish trust, empathize with clients' needs, and maintain a professional demeanor. This includes active listening, verbal communication, and nonverbal communication.

• Problem-solving: Financial advisors must be able to identify problems, develop solutions, and implement effective strategies to help clients achieve their financial goals.

Explore free resources for financial professionals

Subscribe to our Career Chat newsletter on LinkedIn to get the latest career search tips, industry trends, and networking opportunities. Then, explore our free resources for financial advisors:

• Hear from an expert: 8 Questions with an Expert: Google Financial Data Analyst

• Watch on YouTube: Why Power BI Skills Are Essential for HR, Finance, and Business Intelligence

• Test your skills: Microsoft Excel Skill Assessment

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