How Many Financial Advisors Are in the U.S.? | Finance Strategists (2024)

Financial Advisors in the U.S. Overview

Financial advisors are professionals who help clients manage their finances. According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, there are around 330,300 financial advisors employed in the country.

The latest available demographics and statistics of such profession show the following:

  • There are more men than women in the financial advisor profession.
  • An employed financial advisor is 44 years old on average.
  • The most dominant ethnicity among them is white.
  • The average salary is $94,170 per year or $45.27 per hour.
  • Finance advisors are 48% more likely to work for a private company than a public company.
  • The highest-paying states for financial advisors are New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, the District of Columbia, and Virginia.
  • It is estimated that 35% of Americans consult with a financial advisor.

Understanding the current landscape of financial advisors in the U.S. can help make informed decisions when finding financial advice. Financial advisors are valuable assets in the management of personal and business finances.

Gender Statistics for Financial Advisors

According to Zippia, 72% of financial advisors are male, and 28% are female.

Data also show that males earn higher than females in this profession.

The average annual income of female financial advisors is $58,316. In comparison, that of male financial advisors is $68,662.

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Race Statistics for Financial Advisors

White is the most prevalent ethnicity among financial advisors, accounting for 76.5% of the population. In comparison, 8.6% are Asian, and 7.6% are Hispanic or Latino, followed by African Americans comprising 5.1%.

The minority comprises unrecognized ethnicities, American Indians, and Alaska Natives.

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There is a considerable wage gap among different ethnic backgrounds. Financial advisors from an unknown racial background have the average highest salaries, earning $68,312 per year.

Following closely in the statistics are the Asians at $67,128 per year and white advisors at $65,983. African Americans earn at least $53,785 annually.

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Average Age of a Financial Advisor

The average age of financial advisors in the United States is 44 years old, with the 62% majority being above 40 years old.

Financial advisors aged 30 to 40 represent 27% of the population, and young financial advisors aged 20 to 30 make up 10%.

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Financial Advisors by Education

Most financial advisors hold a bachelor's degree as their highest level of education, with 74% obtaining one. In addition, 12% have a master's degree, and the rest possess an associate degree, high school diploma, and other kinds of degrees.

The level of education affects a financial advisor’s overall cost. The higher the level of education, the higher the salary. Those with a doctorate earn the most at $86,634 annually, followed by those with a master's degree at $76,666.

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Statistics on Financial Advisor Employment

Most financial advisors work in securities, commodity contracts, other financial investments, and related activities in industry accounting. Such accounts for 19.98% of industry employment

The next most significant sector, far behind at 2.2%, is credit intermediation and related activities.

The rest of the financial advisors work in agencies, brokerages, other insurance, and related activities.

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Statistics on Financial Advisor Turnover and Unemployment

A review of 33,322 financial advisor resumés by BLS indicated that 42% of financial advisors stay at their job for approximately 1-2 years. 20% of financial advisors look for another job in less than a year. Only 6% were employed in the same place for more than 11 years.

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Generally, the trend of unemployment for financial advisors has been decreasing. The trend indicates an increase in job opportunities for financial advisors. In 2010, the unemployment rate was 3.85%, and data from 2019 shows that it is at 1.59%.

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Average Annual Salary of a Financial Advisor

The latest available data shows that the average annual salary of a financial advisor in the U.S. is $94,170. The highest 10% earning financial advisor receives more than $208,000, while the lowest 10% earns less than $47,570.

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The top-paying industry is where most financial advisors are employed. Most are engaged in securities, commodity contracts, other financial investments, and related activities. The average annual wage is $99,970.

How Many Financial Advisors Are in the U.S.? | Finance Strategists (10)

Financial Advisor Job Outlook

The job outlook for financial advisors is positive. The projected growth rate for financial advisors from 2022 to 2032 is 13%, much higher than the average of all occupations. This indicates that more financial advisors will be needed to serve a growing population.

Over the next decade, the average number of opportunities for personal financial advisors is expected to be around 30,500. The anticipated growth can result from the need to replace people who change occupations or leave the labor force, such as retiring.

Final Thoughts

Financial advisors are professionals who help clients manage their finances. There is a growing demand for the profession. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that more than 330,300 financial advisors are employed in the United States.

Statistics show that they came from different backgrounds regarding gender, age, race, and education. The trend of turnover and unemployment and the diversity of financial advisors is encouraging as it opens many job opportunities.

Given the increase in demand, financial advisors can expect to have many opportunities in the near future. The latest available average salary is $94,170, and the job outlook for this profession is expected to be positive in the upcoming years with a 15% growth rate.

The number of financial advisors will continue to increase as people become more aware of the importance of managing their finances and the industry continues to expand. With the proper guidance, investors can make sound decisions and grow their wealth.

How Many Financial Advisors Are in the U.S.? FAQs

According to the 2021 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, there are more than 330,300 financial advisors employed in the United States with an increasing number projected over the next decade.

It is estimated that in the United States, 35% of people have a financial advisor. This indicates that almost one for every three of the population has sought advice from a professional financial advisor in managing their finances and investments.

The financial advisor industry is estimated to be $59.7 billion in 2023. Financial advisors have been playing a crucial role in providing advice and guidance to individuals and businesses to make wise financial decisions.

The mean age of financial advisors 44, with 62% being over 40; 27% falling within the thirty to forty-year range and 10% comprising those aged twenty to thirty.

New York is the highest-paying state in the U.S. for financial advisors, with an average salary of $158,040. This is nearly 67% higher than the national average salary of $94,170. Other top-paying states include the District of Columbia, $156,670 and Washington, $144,890.

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About the Author

True Tamplin, BSc, CEPF®

True Tamplin is a published author, public speaker, CEO of UpDigital, and founder of Finance Strategists.

True is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF®), author of The Handy Financial Ratios Guide, a member of the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing, contributes to his financial education site, Finance Strategists, and has spoken to various financial communities such as the CFA Institute, as well as university students like his Alma mater, Biola University, where he received a bachelor of science in business and data analytics.

To learn more about True, visit his personal website or view his author profiles on Amazon, Nasdaq and Forbes.

How Many Financial Advisors Are in the U.S.? | Finance Strategists (2024)

FAQs

How Many Financial Advisors Are in the U.S.? | Finance Strategists? ›

Financial Advisors in the U.S. Overview. Financial advisors are professionals who help clients manage their finances. According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, there are around 330,300 financial advisors employed in the country.

How many financial advisors are there in the USA? ›

Estimates of total U.S. financial advisor jobs range from 240,000 to 370,000. The Bureau of Labor Statistics tallied over 272,190 positions in 2023. DataUSA generated an estimate for 2020 that came in at around 372,000, while online recruitment site Zippia's research pointed to over 240,000 financial advisor roles.

What is the difference between a financial advisor and a financial strategist? ›

Financial strategists may work with individuals or advise organizations on investments and other financial activities. Financial advisers typically focus on working with individuals to develop and work toward their personal financial goals.

How many rias are there in the US? ›

These advisors are registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or a securities administrator of the state in which they practice. In 2022, the number of registered investment advisors reached 15,114.

How many certified financial planners are there in the US? ›

In 2023, the number of certified financial planners hit 98,875 — a rise of nearly 4% from 2022, according to the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, which says close to 9,840 individuals took the exam last year. This was a faster growth rate than in 2022, when the number of CFPs rose 3.4%.

Who are the top 5 financial advisors? ›

2024 RankNameFirm
1Michael WarrMorgan Stanley Private Wealth Management
2Tony SmithStonegate Investment Group
3Christopher ComptonStonegate Investment Group
4Brian WoodkeMerrill Wealth Management
22 more rows

How old is the average financial advisor? ›

According to various studies and publications, the average age of financial advisors is somewhere between 51 and 55 years, with 38% expecting to retire in the next ten years.

Do financial advisors make 6 figures? ›

The prospect of earning a six-figure income is a significant draw for many professionals considering a career as a financial advisor. It's important to recognize that while some financial advisors do achieve this income level, it is by no means a guaranteed salary.

What type of financial advisor makes the most money? ›

The Top 5 Highest Paying Financial Advisor Jobs
  • Wealth Management. Wealth management is one of the highest-paying financial advisor jobs. ...
  • Investment Banking. Investment banking is another high-paying financial advisor job. ...
  • Certified Financial Planner. ...
  • Insurance Sales Agent. ...
  • Brokerage Firms.
Mar 16, 2023

What is a strategic finance advisor? ›

Strategic financial advisors collaborate closely with businesses to build accurate financial models and projections by analyzing past data, current market conditions, and standard industry practices.

Who are the largest RIAs? ›

The Top 100 Independent RIAs – 2024
RankingCompany NameState
1Fisher InvestmentsTX
2Creative Planning, LLCKS
3Savant Wealth ManagementIL
4EP Wealth AdvisorsCA
16 more rows

What is the largest RIAs in the US? ›

As of December 2023, Cambridge Associates, LLC was the largest registered investment advisory firm in the United States by assets under management. The assets under management (AUM) of Cambridge Associates LLC amounted to 294 billion U.S. dollars. What funds do RIAs manage?

What is the average size of an RIA firm? ›

The report identified at least 21 RIAs with an average account size over $100 million, as well as an overall mean client balance of $2.7 million and median of $386,646 across the thousands of firms.

What percent of financial advisors are CFP? ›

What percentage of financial advisors are CFP® professionals? About 30% of financial advisors in the United States are CFP® professionals. There are approximately 617,549 registered representatives eligible to sell securities in the United States, according to FINRA.

How many financial advisors have CFA? ›

Financial Advisor: 5%

According to the website referenced above, there are over 123,000 CFA Institute members worldwide, of which 94% are CFA charterholders. That leaves about 115,620 with the CFA designation.

How many financial planners have their CFP? ›

CFP Professional Demographics
StateNumber% of Total
California10,30210.2 %
Texas7,1587.1 %
Florida6,9987.0 %
New York5,3375.3 %
51 more rows
6 days ago

How big is the financial advisory market in the US? ›

18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Financial Advisory Services Market was valued at USD 94.8 Billion in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 157.7 Billion by 2032 at a CAGR of 5.3%.

What percent of millionaires have financial advisors? ›

The wealthy also trust and work with financial advisors at a far greater rate. The study found that 70% of millionaires versus 37% of the general population work with a financial advisor.

How common is it to have a financial advisor? ›

Overall, the survey found that only 30% of consumers have a paid financial advisor. Those most likely to pay for an advisor include consumers with incomes of $100,000 or more (55%) and college graduates (41%).

How many people are employed as financial advisors? ›

Geographic profile for Personal Financial Advisors:
StateEmployment (1)Employment per thousand jobs
California32,1001.79
New York27,4402.92
Florida20,9202.19
Texas18,7401.38
1 more row

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