JobAfterNext

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.

Wages

Median annual wage, U.S.$105,070
Employment, U.S.266,800
Median hourly wage$50.51
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$50,190$72,440$105,070$176,790$357,020
By state (51)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama2,540$77,9900.70
Alaska$78,690
Arizona6,430$96,9501.16
Arkansas1,320$79,4200.59
California32,200$130,3301.03
Colorado6,730$89,2801.36
Connecticut$129,720
Delaware$125,050
District of Columbia480$104,9900.40
Florida21,490$100,9701.26
Georgia6,830$101,4500.81
Hawaii550$76,0700.51
Idaho760$94,3700.51
Illinois9,760$120,1300.93
Indiana5,400$87,7100.98
Iowa1,920$92,3100.72
Kansas4,150$102,5301.68
Kentucky2,040$67,1500.60
Louisiana1,470Not available0.44
Maine850Not available0.78
Maryland5,260$99,8801.11
Massachusetts$125,670
Michigan6,570$77,9300.87
Minnesota5,280$102,6601.04
Mississippi790$63,3000.40
Missouri4,480$99,9300.89
Montana$97,450
Nebraska2,210$93,2801.26
Nevada1,730$92,7200.65
New Hampshire1,850$96,7801.57
New Jersey9,300$158,5701.27
New Mexico610$94,2700.41
New York21,550$166,4001.30
North Carolina12,340$96,8801.46
North Dakota540$76,8700.73
Ohio7,680$90,9900.81
Oklahoma1,140$68,6700.39
Oregon3,070$122,8300.91
Pennsylvania12,200$105,2001.17
Rhode Island1,130$80,2001.31
South Carolina2,400$96,3300.61
South Dakota620$128,7200.79
Tennessee3,970$84,1600.71
Texas18,200$99,1600.75
Utah2,520$77,3900.85
Vermont520$110,0201.01
Virginia6,340$102,6400.90
Washington5,790$114,0500.95
West Virginia670$80,0100.56
Wisconsin5,200$119,4301.03
Wyoming310$77,4900.65

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents40.982
2Loan Officers40.972
3Insurance Underwriters40.970
4Credit Counselors40.970
5Investment Fund Managers50.966
6Fundraisers40.965
7Accountants and Auditors40.963
8Loan Interviewers and Clerks30.961
9Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists40.961
10Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators40.960

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Personal Financial Advisors, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
Budget AnalystsManagement of Financial Resources1.000.956
Financial ManagersManagement of Personnel Resources1.880.950
Business Intelligence AnalystsActive Learning0.870.949
Fundraising ManagersManagement of Personnel Resources0.880.940
Advertising Sales AgentsNegotiation1.000.939
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersManagement of Personnel Resources1.630.939
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsNegotiation1.000.938
Real Estate Sales AgentsNegotiation1.000.935

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Personal Financial Advisors, excluding software Personal Financial Advisors already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
Oracle PeopleSoft9 of 205.3x
Document management system software5 of 2014.4x
Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS6 of 206.9x
CGI-AMS BureauLink Enterprise3 of 2046.2x
Fannie Mae Desktop Underwriter3 of 2046.2x
Intuit TurboTax3 of 2046.2x
ADP Workforce Now5 of 208.9x
Ceridian Dayforce enterprise HCM3 of 2034.6x
Tax compliance property tax management software3 of 2034.6x
Sage HRMS3 of 2027.7x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
Active ListeningEssential skill 4.12 4.00
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 4.12 4.00
SpeakingEssential skill 4.00 4.00
WritingEssential skill 3.88 4.00
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 3.75 4.12
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 3.62 3.88
Service OrientationTransferable skill 3.62 3.88
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 3.62 3.75
MathematicsEssential skill 3.62 3.75
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 3.62 3.62
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 3.38 3.62
PersuasionTransferable skill 3.38 3.50
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 3.38 3.50
Active LearningEssential skill 3.25 3.25
MonitoringEssential skill 3.12 3.75
CoordinationTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
InstructingTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 3.00 3.00
NegotiationTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Time ManagementTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 2.88 2.88
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 2.50 2.38
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.12 2.12
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 1.88 1.50
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 1.75 0.88
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 1.62 0.62
ProgrammingTransferable skill 1.62 0.62
Technology DesignTransferable skill 1.50 0.50
ScienceEssential skill 1.38 0.38
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 1.00not rated
InstallationTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 1.00not rated
RepairingTransferable skill 1.00not rated
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Customer and Personal Service 4.44 5.38
Economics and Accounting 4.08 4.50
English Language 3.92 4.42
Mathematics 3.73 4.58
Psychology 3.08 3.65
Administration and Management 2.88 3.96
Sales and Marketing 2.88 3.92
Computers and Electronics 2.85 3.65
Law and Government 2.73 2.81
Administrative 2.62 3.92
Communications and Media 2.60 2.65
Education and Training 2.46 3.19
Therapy and Counseling 2.40 2.96
Personnel and Human Resources 2.17 2.65
Telecommunications 1.96 0.92
Production and Processing 1.58 0.88
Engineering and Technology 1.52 1.04
Sociology and Anthropology 1.50 1.00
Philosophy and Theology 1.44not rated
Geography 1.31 0.96
History and Archeology 1.27 0.85
Public Safety and Security 1.23not rated
Design 1.15not rated
Fine Arts 1.12not rated
Foreign Language 1.08not rated
Mechanical 1.04not rated
Medicine and Dentistry 1.04not rated
Transportation 1.04not rated
Biology 1.00not rated
Building and Construction 1.00not rated
Chemistry 1.00not rated
Food Production 1.00not rated
Physics 1.00not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Oral Expression 4.00 4.50
Oral Comprehension 4.00 4.00
Written Comprehension 4.00 4.00
Speech Clarity 4.00 3.88
Inductive Reasoning 3.88 4.00
Deductive Reasoning 3.75 4.62
Near Vision 3.75 4.12
Number Facility 3.75 4.12
Written Expression 3.75 4.00
Problem Sensitivity 3.62 4.00
Speech Recognition 3.62 3.88
Mathematical Reasoning 3.62 3.62
Information Ordering 3.38 3.25
Fluency of Ideas 3.12 3.38
Category Flexibility 3.00 3.00
Originality 3.00 3.00
Perceptual Speed 2.88 2.75
Selective Attention 2.88 2.62
Flexibility of Closure 2.75 2.88
Memorization 2.62 2.62
Speed of Closure 2.62 2.62
Time Sharing 2.62 2.50
Far Vision 2.50 2.38
Visualization 2.00 1.88
Visual Color Discrimination 1.75 1.50
Auditory Attention 1.75 1.12
Trunk Strength 1.75 1.12
Hearing Sensitivity 1.62 0.75
Wrist-Finger Speed 1.50 0.50
Depth Perception 1.38 0.38
Finger Dexterity 1.38 0.38
Arm-Hand Steadiness 1.00not rated
Control Precision 1.00not rated
Dynamic Flexibility 1.00not rated
Dynamic Strength 1.00not rated
Explosive Strength 1.00not rated
Extent Flexibility 1.00not rated
Glare Sensitivity 1.00not rated
Gross Body Coordination 1.00not rated
Gross Body Equilibrium 1.00not rated
Manual Dexterity 1.00not rated
Multilimb Coordination 1.00not rated
Night Vision 1.00not rated
Peripheral Vision 1.00not rated
Rate Control 1.00not rated
Reaction Time 1.00not rated
Response Orientation 1.00not rated
Sound Localization 1.00not rated
Spatial Orientation 1.00not rated
Speed of Limb Movement 1.00not rated
Stamina 1.00not rated
Static Strength 1.00not rated

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

All 102
  • Estate planning software
  • ExpenseWatch
  • FileMaker Pro
  • Finance Logix Education Planner
  • Finance Logix Insurance Planner
  • Finance Logix Retirement Planner
  • Financeware AASim
  • Financeware Finance File Manager
  • Financeware WealthSimulator
  • Financial Planning Consultants Practice Builder
  • Financial Profiles Profiles+ Professional
  • Financial planning presentation software
  • Financial planning software
  • Financial report generation software
  • Fund accounting software
  • Getting Things Done GTD software
  • Host Analytics Host Budget
  • IBM Domino
  • IBM Lotus 1-2-3
  • IMPACT Wealth Distribution Analysis
  • Ibbotson Analyst
  • Ibbotson Portfolio Strategist
  • Impact PlanLabX3
  • Investigo
  • Investment and business valuation template software
  • Investment tracking software
  • J&L Financial Planner
  • Junxure CRM Software
  • MasterPlan
  • Microsoft Business Contact Manager
  • Microsoft Dynamics
  • Microsoft Money
  • MoneyTree Silver Financial Planner (financial analysis feature)
  • MoneyTree Silver Financial Planner (presentation feature)
  • Monte Carlo simulation software
  • Morningstar Principia
  • Needs analysis software
  • Net Worth Strategies Stock Opter Pro
  • Optima IAS
  • Oracle E-Business Suite Financials
  • Oracle Hyperion
  • Oracle PeopleSoft Financials
  • PIE Technologies MoneyGuidePro
  • Pimlico Software DateBk
  • PlanPlus Pro
  • PlanScan Portfolio Pathfinder
  • Portfolio management software
  • Practice management software PMS
  • ProTracker Advantage
  • Quicken
  • Redtail Technology Our Business Online
  • Retirement planning software
  • Sage 50 Accounting
  • Sawhney ExecPlan
  • ScanSoft PaperPort Pro
  • ScenarioNow RetireNow
  • SunGard Frontier
  • SunGard LockBox
  • SunGard PlanningStation
  • SunGard WebPlaid
  • Tax planning software
  • The Omni Group OmniPlan
  • Thomson ONE Advisor
  • Torrid Retirement Planner
  • Unger Software Methusaleh
  • WealthTec AllocationPro
  • WealthTec Foundations
  • WealthTec WealthMaster
  • Web Information Solutions Pocket Informant
  • Web browser software
  • World Software Corporation Worldox
  • eMoneyAdvisor AdvisorPlatform

Where it concentrates

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT2,5003.60$135,770
Manchester-Nashua, NH9502.79$84,390
Trenton-Princeton, NJ1,0702.59$129,130
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC1,5102.56$63,300
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC4,8502.08$99,440
Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL1901.89$105,900
Lawrence, KS1701.87$91,780
Kansas City, MO-KS3,5001.86$123,140
Wildwood-The Villages, FL1301.86$95,810
Boulder, CO6101.84$83,070

More metros, other thresholds