Personal Financial Advisors Salary
The median pay for a personal financial advisors in Cleveland, OH is $81,130/year ($39.01/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $224K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $126K, 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 93.92), which stretches that salary to about $86,382 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,279/month, or 24.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $81K get you in Cleveland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cleveland’s Regional Price Parity (93.92). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About personal financial advisors
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What this looks like in Cleveland
Pay for personal financial advisors in Cleveland runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $105K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,279/month, 24% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.92 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Cleveland can be a reasonable trade-off for personal financial advisorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for personal financial advisors in metros near Cleveland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | $81K | $84K |
| Columbus | $82K | $85K |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $96K | $104K |
| Akron | $97K | $103K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cleveland, OH
Entry-level personal financial advisors (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $224K or more, a $176K spread from bottom to top.
Personal Financial Advisors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Personal Financial Advisors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $166K | +58% | 21,550 |
| New Jersey | $159K | +51% | 9,300 |
| California | $130K | +24% | 32,200 |
| Connecticut | $130K | +23% | N/A |
| South Dakota | $129K | +23% | 620 |
| Massachusetts | $126K | +20% | N/A |
| Delaware | $125K | +19% | N/A |
| Oregon | $123K | +17% | 3,070 |
| Illinois | $120K | +14% | 9,760 |
| Wisconsin | $119K | +14% | 5,200 |
| Washington | $114K | +9% | 5,790 |
| Vermont | $110K | +5% | 520 |
| Pennsylvania | $105K | +0% | 12,200 |
| District of Columbia | $105K | -0% | 480 |
| Minnesota | $103K | -2% | 5,280 |
| Virginia | $103K | -2% | 6,340 |
| Kansas | $103K | -2% | 4,150 |
| Georgia | $101K | -3% | 6,830 |
| Florida | $101K | -4% | 21,490 |
| Missouri | $100K | -5% | 4,480 |
| Maryland | $100K | -5% | 5,260 |
| Texas | $99K | -6% | 18,200 |
| Montana | $97K | -7% | N/A |
| Arizona | $97K | -8% | 6,430 |
| North Carolina | $97K | -8% | 12,340 |
| New Hampshire | $97K | -8% | 1,850 |
| South Carolina | $96K | -8% | 2,400 |
| Idaho | $94K | -10% | 760 |
| New Mexico | $94K | -10% | 610 |
| Nebraska | $93K | -11% | 2,210 |
| Nevada | $93K | -12% | 1,730 |
| Iowa | $92K | -12% | 1,920 |
| Ohio | $91K | -13% | 7,680 |
| Colorado | $89K | -15% | 6,730 |
| Indiana | $88K | -17% | 5,400 |
| Tennessee | $84K | -20% | 3,970 |
| Rhode Island | $80K | -24% | 1,130 |
| West Virginia | $80K | -24% | 670 |
| Arkansas | $79K | -24% | 1,320 |
| Alaska | $79K | -25% | N/A |
| Alabama | $78K | -26% | 2,540 |
| Michigan | $78K | -26% | 6,570 |
| Wyoming | $77K | -26% | 310 |
| Utah | $77K | -26% | 2,520 |
| North Dakota | $77K | -27% | 540 |
| Hawaii | $76K | -28% | 550 |
| Oklahoma | $69K | -35% | 1,140 |
| Kentucky | $67K | -36% | 2,040 |
| Mississippi | $63K | -40% | 790 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track personal financial advisors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Cleveland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a personal financial advisor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cleveland?
Yes — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 24% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,279/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for personal financial advisors in Cleveland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new personal financial advisors typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,861/month. At HUD’s $1,279/month FMR, rent would take 45% 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 Cleveland?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $81K here vs. $105K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Cleveland compare to the national average for personal financial advisors?
Cleveland pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $105K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.92), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — below the national median.
How much do personal financial advisors make in Cleveland, OH?
The median is $81,130 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,680, and experienced personal financial advisors can clear $223,760. The mean (average) is $126,350, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Cleveland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,327/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,279/month, which eats 24% 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 Cleveland?
Cleveland has a Regional Price Parity of 93.92 (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 $86,382 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.