Personal Financial Advisors Salary
The median pay for a personal financial advisors in Alabama is $77,990/year ($37.5/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $342K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $133K, significantly higher than the median. This typically reflects a mix of employment settings including academic and private practice positions. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $88,264 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,085/month, or 21.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $78K get you in Alabama?
About personal financial advisors
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What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for personal financial advisors in Alabama runs about 26% below the U.S. median of $105K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,085/month, 21.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Alabama can be a reasonable trade-off for personal financial advisorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level personal financial advisors (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $342K or more, a $300K spread from bottom to top.
Personal Financial Advisors salary by metro in Alabama
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dothan | $120K | +54% | 50 |
| Montgomery | $86K | +10% | 180 |
| Huntsville | $85K | +9% | 290 |
| Birmingham | $79K | +2% | 1,190 |
| Mobile | $75K | -4% | 260 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $75K | -4% | 100 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals | $72K | -8% | 50 |
| Tuscaloosa | $62K | -20% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track personal financial advisors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a personal financial advisor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 21.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for personal financial advisors in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new personal financial advisors typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,529/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 43% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is personal financial advisor a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 26% below the national median — $78K here vs. $105K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for personal financial advisors?
Alabama pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $105K — that’s -26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $88K — below the national median.
How much do personal financial advisors make in Alabama?
The median is $77,990 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,150, and experienced personal financial advisors can clear $342,030. The mean (average) is $132,860, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,960/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 21.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a personal financial advisors salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median personal financial advisors salary is worth about $88,264 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do personal financial advisors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.