How much does a personal financial advisor make?

The median pay is $50.51 per hour — roughly $105,000 a year, with the real range running from about $24.13/hr (10th percentile) to $171.65/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a personal financial advisor?

The typical entry-level education is: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation level: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).

What does a personal financial advisor actually do all day?

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.

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Personal Financial Advisors

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.

What it pays
Personal Financial Advisors earn a median of $50.51/hr — about $105,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $24.13/hr; the top 10% earn $171.65/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)

What you'd actually 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.
Recommend to clients strategies in cash management, insurance coverage, investment planning, or other areas to help them achieve their financial goals.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).

The feel of the work

The work is mostly indoors; much of the day is spent working solo; precision matters — small details carry weight. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 15.8% of personal financial advisors are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are take-charge, organized and detail-focused and people-focused.

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Quick questions

How much does a personal financial advisor make?: The median pay is $50.51 per hour — roughly $105,000 a year, with the real range running from about $24.13/hr (10th percentile) to $171.65/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Do you need a degree to be a personal financial advisor?: The typical entry-level education is: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation level: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
What does a personal financial advisor actually do all day?: 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.

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.

Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.