Occupations · Business and Financial Operations
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.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 13-2052.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 74% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $168,350 | 28,950 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $121,940 | 12,240 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $157,510 | 8,830 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $108,640 | 8,170 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $109,390 | 7,370 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $108,310 | 7,180 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $101,320 | 6,440 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $94,660 | 6,300 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | $91,490 | 5,480 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $100,470 | 5,200 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $99,070 | 4,860 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $112,020 | 4,860 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- 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.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2024-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2024-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 6 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 16
No longer listed 8
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| financial planner | 2412.4 | exact |
| investment adviser | 2412.5 | close |
| asset manager | 3311.1 | close |
| credit adviser | 3312.2 | close |
| personal trust officer | 2412.7 | close |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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