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Salary comparison

Personal Financial Advisors vs. Business Operations Specialists, All Other: Who Earns More?

Personal Financial Advisors out-earn Business Operations Specialists, All Other by $22K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Personal Financial Advisors land at $105,070 and Business Operations Specialists, All Other at $83,050. The education gap is real: personal financial advisor programs typically require bachelor's degree, while business operations specialists, all other programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Personal Financial Advisors is New York ($166,400); for Business Operations Specialists, All Other it's District of Columbia ($108,160).

Personal Financial Advisors
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
Median salary
$105,070
$83,050
Hourly rate
$50.51/hr
$39.93/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$50,190
$47,880
Senior level (90th %)
$357,020
$150,010
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
266,800
1,087,090
Job growth (10-year)
9.6%
3%
Category
Business & Finance
Business & Finance
Top-paying state
New York
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Personal Financial Advisors median pay.

State
Personal Financial Advisors
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
New Jersey
$158,570
$91,060
California
$130,330
$87,570
Connecticut
$129,720
$85,530
South Dakota
$128,720
$85,340
Massachusetts
$125,670
$93,270
Delaware
$125,050
$95,040
Washington
$114,050
$100,360
District of Columbia
$104,990
$108,160
Maryland
$99,880
$101,500
Colorado
$89,280
$92,520
Rhode Island
$80,200
$88,130
Alaska
$78,690
$94,740
Alabama
$77,990
$100,240
Hawaii
$76,070
$92,620
Oklahoma
$68,670
$93,640

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Personal Financial Advisors or Business Operations Specialists, All Other?

Personal Financial Advisors earn more nationally. The median is $105,070 for Personal Financial Advisors versus $83,050 for Business Operations Specialists, All Other, a difference of $22K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Personal Financial Advisors or Business Operations Specialists, All Other?

Personal Financial Advisors has the better 10-year outlook at 9.6% projected growth, compared to 3% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Personal Financial Advisors or Business Operations Specialists, All Other?

Personal Financial Advisors typically requires bachelor's degree. Business Operations Specialists, All Other requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Personal Financial Advisors get paid the most?

New York is the top-paying state for Personal Financial Advisors at $166,400/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Personal Financial Advisors vs. Business Operations Specialists, All Other pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In New Jersey, Personal Financial Advisors earn $158,570 vs. $91,060 for Business Operations Specialists, All Other. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Personal Financial Advisors salary breakdownView →Full Business Operations Specialists, All Other salary breakdownView →Best cities for Personal Financial Advisors by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Business Operations Specialists, All Other by take-home payExplore →How to become a personal financial advisorsGuide →How to become a business operations specialists, all otherGuide →