Personal Financial Advisors Salary
The median pay for a personal financial advisors in Raleigh-Cary, NC is $104,780/year ($50.37/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $558K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $186K, significantly higher than the median. This typically reflects a mix of employment settings including academic and private practice positions. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.16), that's roughly $106,744 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,750/month, or 25.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $105K get you in Raleigh-Cary?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Raleigh-Cary’s Regional Price Parity (98.16). 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 Raleigh-Cary
Personal financial advisors pay in Raleigh-Cary tracks closely to the national median, $105K locally vs. $105K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $1,750/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.16) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for personal financial advisors in metros near Raleigh-Cary, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $99K | $102K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $63K | $65K |
| Winston-Salem | $101K | $109K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $126K | $136K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Raleigh-Cary, NC
Entry-level personal financial advisors (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $105K. Top earners bring in $558K or more, a $508K 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 Raleigh-Cary numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a personal financial advisor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Raleigh-Cary?
Yes — at the median salary of $105K, rent takes 27.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,750/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for personal financial advisors in Raleigh-Cary?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new personal financial advisors typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,986/month. At HUD’s $1,750/month FMR, rent would take 59% 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 Raleigh-Cary?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $105K locally vs. $105K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Raleigh-Cary compare to the national average for personal financial advisors?
Raleigh-Cary pays $105K median vs. the U.S. average of $105K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $107K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do personal financial advisors make in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
The median is $104,780 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,760, and experienced personal financial advisors can clear $558,250. The mean (average) is $186,410, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $105K enough to live in Raleigh-Cary?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,449/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,750/month, which eats 27.1% 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 Raleigh-Cary?
Raleigh-Cary has a Regional Price Parity of 98.16 (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 $106,744 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.