Personal Financial Advisors Salary
The median pay for a personal financial advisors in Trenton-Princeton, NJ is $129,130/year ($62.08/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $83K at the entry level to $318K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.18), that's roughly $125,150 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,950/month, or 25.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $129K get you in Trenton-Princeton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Trenton-Princeton’s Regional Price Parity (103.18). 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 Trenton-Princeton
Trenton-Princeton sits well above the national pay line for personal financial advisors, local pay runs about 23% higher than the U.S. median of $105K. Rent runs $1,950/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.18) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for personal financial advisors in metros near Trenton-Princeton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic City-Hammonton | $130K | $131K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $170K | $151K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $117K | $114K |
| Pittsburgh | $116K | $122K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Trenton-Princeton, NJ
Entry-level personal financial advisors (10th percentile) start around $83K. Mid-career wages sit at $129K. Top earners bring in $318K or more, a $235K 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 Trenton-Princeton numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a personal financial advisor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Trenton-Princeton?
Yes — at the median salary of $129K, rent takes 25.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,950/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for personal financial advisors in Trenton-Princeton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new personal financial advisors typically earn — is $83K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,000/month. At HUD’s $1,950/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Trenton-Princeton?
Local pay is 23% above the national median — $129K here vs. $105K nationally.
How does Trenton-Princeton compare to the national average for personal financial advisors?
Trenton-Princeton pays $129K median vs. the U.S. average of $105K — that’s +23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.18), the purchasing-power equivalent is $125K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do personal financial advisors make in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?
The median is $129,130 a year, that works out to about $62 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $83,340, and experienced personal financial advisors can clear $318,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $129K enough to live in Trenton-Princeton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,743/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,950/month, which eats 25.2% 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 Trenton-Princeton?
Trenton-Princeton has a Regional Price Parity of 103.18 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median personal financial advisors salary is worth about $125,150 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.