Personal Financial Advisors Salary
The median pay for a personal financial advisors in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $106,230/year ($51.07/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $389K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $169K, significantly higher than the median. This typically reflects a mix of employment settings including academic and private practice positions. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $97,566 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 34.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $106K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Personal financial advisors pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria tracks closely to the national median, $106K locally vs. $105K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $2,246/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 35% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $99K | $95K |
| Richmond | $111K | $113K |
| Charlottesville | $127K | $128K |
| Roanoke | $92K | $98K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level personal financial advisors (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $106K. Top earners bring in $389K or more, a $331K 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a personal financial advisor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $106K, rent takes 35% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for personal financial advisors in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new personal financial advisors typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,527/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $106K locally vs. $105K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for personal financial advisors?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $106K median vs. the U.S. average of $105K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $98K — below the national median.
How much do personal financial advisors make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $106,230 a year, that works out to about $51 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,790, and experienced personal financial advisors can clear $389,430. The mean (average) is $168,500, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $106K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,411/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 35% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a personal financial advisors salary go in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (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 $97,566 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.