Personal Financial Advisors
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Personal Financial Advisors in the United States earn a median salary of $105,070 per year — about $51 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 326K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +10%.
AI & Automation Risk
The core technical tasks of this role—analyzing market data, optimizing portfolios, and tax planning—are digital and highly susceptible to AI automation, as evidenced by the rise of robo-advisors. However, the occupation is protected by a significant interpersonal component, as clients often require human trust, emotional reassurance during market volatility, and complex ethical judgment that AI cannot yet fully replicate.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MIBEST VALUE | $159,990 | Below avg (91.7) | $174,378 |
| Springfield, IL | $154,370 | Below avg (90.7) | $170,290 |
| Bloomington, IL | $141,070 | Below avg (92.1) | $153,139 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $170,050 | Above avg (112.6) | $150,961 |
| Santa Fe, NM | $138,790 | Below avg (94.1) | $147,548 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $133,200 | Below avg (90.9) | $146,541 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $133,900 | Below avg (92.9) | $144,172 |
| Altoona, PA | $125,820 | Below avg (88.7) | $141,915 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $145,190 | Average (102.8) | $141,215 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $120,420 | Below avg (85.6) | $140,618 |
| Great Falls, MT | $131,270 | Below avg (93.4) | $140,534 |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | $126,390 | Below avg (90.2) | $140,128 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $124,540 | Below avg (89.2) | $139,677 |
| Dothan, AL | $120,430 | Below avg (87.4) | $137,855 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | $127,360 | Below avg (93.0) | $136,980 |