Personal Financial Advisors Salary
The median pay for a personal financial advisors in Illinois is $120,130/year ($57.75/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $329K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $128,002 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,407/month, or 19.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $120K get you in Illinois?
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What this looks like in Illinois
Illinois sits well above the national pay line for personal financial advisors, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $105K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,407/month, 19.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Illinois offers a genuinely strong financial position for personal financial advisorss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level personal financial advisors (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $120K. Top earners bring in $329K or more, a $277K spread from bottom to top.
Personal Financial Advisors salary by metro in Illinois
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield | $154K | +29% | 100 |
| Bloomington | $141K | +17% | 60 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $113K | -6% | 8,370 |
| Champaign-Urbana | $112K | -7% | 80 |
| Rockford | $111K | -8% | 90 |
| Peoria | $109K | -9% | 200 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a personal financial advisor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
Yes — at the median salary of $120K, rent takes 19.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for personal financial advisors in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new personal financial advisors typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,109/month. At HUD’s $1,407/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 Illinois?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $120K here vs. $105K nationally.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for personal financial advisors?
Illinois pays $120K median vs. the U.S. average of $105K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $128K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do personal financial advisors make in Illinois?
The median is $120,130 a year, that works out to about $58 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,820, and experienced personal financial advisors can clear $328,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $120K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,243/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 19.4% 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 Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (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 $128,002 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.