Personal Financial Advisors
Also called: Account Manager, Asset Analyst, Asset Manager, Budget Counselor, Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Client Advisor, Credit Counselor
Advise clients on financial plans using knowledge of tax and investment strategies, securities, insurance, pension plans, and real estate.
What personal financial advisors do
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Recommend to clients strategies in cash management, insurance coverage, investment planning, or other areas to help them achieve their financial goals.
- Recommend financial products, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or insurance.
- Implement financial planning recommendations, or refer clients to someone who can assist them with plan implementation.
- Contact clients periodically to determine any changes in their financial status.
- Prepare or interpret for clients information, such as investment performance reports, financial document summaries, or income projections.
- Explain to clients the personal financial advisor's responsibilities and the types of services to be provided.
- Investigate available investment opportunities to determine compatibility with client financial plans.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Personal Financial Advisors salary
The median annual wage for personal financial advisors is $105,070 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $50,190 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $357,020. The mean annual wage is $156,670.
The mean hourly wage of $75.00 is 10.3× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Personal Financial Advisors (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $105,070 → in 3 years $111,200 → in 5 years $115,500 → in 10 years $127,000 (10-year range $109,200–$147,400). The model assumes pay growth of +1.9% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Personal Financial Advisors
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Personal Financial Advisors? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Personal Financial Advisors
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Personal Financial Advisors
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become personal financial advisors
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as personal financial advisors
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.