Finance · 68 Cities Ranked

Highest Paying Cities for Personal Financial Advisor (2025)

The median Personal Financial Advisor salary is $170,050 in New York, NY, the highest-paying city for this role. After adjusting for cost of living, Greensboro, NC offers the best purchasing power at $138,346 adjusted.

The 68 cities below are ranked by median wage for Personal Financial Advisor, drawn from BLS OEWS. Top-of-list cities typically combine high local labor demand with above-baseline cost-of-living, so the gross-wage ranking partly reflects COL adjustment. Reading the ranking carefully: gross median wage is the headline number, but the cost-adjusted figure (which divides by the city's cost-of-living index) tells a different story for high-COL cities. The ranking sorts on gross wage; the per-city pages surface the adjusted figure.

For workers evaluating Personal Financial Advisor relocation, the top of the ranking is the obvious starting point — but the bottom of the list (low gross wage, low COL) is often where cost-adjusted real income is highest. The role-specific pages link to per-city detail.

$102,203

National Median

$170,050

Highest City

$58,450

Lowest City

Cities Ranked

Ranked by Median Salary

Rank	City	Median	Range (10th-90th)	COL Index	COL-Adjusted	Jobs
1	New York, NY	$170,050	$81,520, $420,630	187.2	$90,839	23,980
2	San Francisco, CA	$160,610	$76,900, $450,120	179.6	$89,427	7,130
3	San Jose, CA	$136,820	$69,340, $482,130	195.8	$69,877	1,530
4	Bridgeport, CT	$135,770	$64,080, $421,990	137.5	$98,742	2,500
5	San Diego, CA	$130,330	$68,640, $405,540	160.2	$81,355	3,010
6	Sacramento, CA	$127,950	$68,640, $315,050	124.7	$102,606	1,260
7	Boston, MA	$126,530	$58,540, $486,690	152.1	$83,189	0
8	Greensboro, NC	$126,310	$58,230, $278,130	91.3	$138,346	580
9	Madison, WI	$126,000	$52,490, $507,290	103.8	$121,387	590
10	Milwaukee, WI	$125,810	$64,820, $390,270	97.4	$129,168	2,150
11	Miami, FL	$125,670	$49,670, $427,160	123.1	$102,088	8,390
12	Albany, NY	$124,610	$57,330, $360,640	100.7	$123,744	680
13	Los Angeles, CA	$124,490	$67,690, $285,090	166	$74,994	13,980
14	Kansas City, MO	$123,140	$60,890, $320,820	95.4	$129,078	3,500
15	Portland, OR	$122,830	$54,940, $344,850	130.1	$94,412	0
16	Boise, ID	$117,460	$60,070, $220,230	102.1	$115,044	370
17	Philadelphia, PA	$116,560	$62,020, $392,260	118.4	$98,446	7,390
18	Pittsburgh, PA	$115,600	$58,700, $397,940	92.3	$125,244	2,030
19	Seattle, WA	$114,540	$57,860, $435,040	149.4	$76,667	3,940
20	Chicago, IL	$113,210	$51,050, $322,440	107.3	$105,508	8,370
21	Bakersfield, CA	$111,580	$58,440, $268,860	100.6	$110,915	80
22	Richmond, VA	$110,910	$56,100, $377,000	102.1	$108,629	1,350
23	Washington, DC	$106,230	$58,790, $389,430	152.8	$69,522	4,330
24	Raleigh, NC	$104,780	$49,760, $558,250	99.8	$104,990	2,340
25	Atlanta, GA	$103,990	$46,180, $352,260	99.2	$104,829	4,690
26	St. Louis, MO	$103,690	$52,690, $330,360	90	$115,211	2,630
27	Phoenix, AZ	$103,680	$49,250, $216,280	100.7	$102,959	5,000
28	Buffalo, NY	$103,650	$60,300, $374,020	92.5	$112,054	690
29	Minneapolis, MN	$103,410	$47,520, $318,400	106.2	$97,373	4,150
30	Indianapolis, IN	$102,640	$45,140, $426,180	90.1	$113,918	2,400
31	Jacksonville, FL	$101,480	$59,090, $372,180	95.1	$106,709	1,840
32	San Antonio, TX	$101,430	$49,990, $314,400	91.5	$110,852	1,590
33	Rochester, NY	$101,150	$61,190, $286,310	92.9	$108,881	820
34	Fresno, CA	$100,240	$60,660, $252,570	105.5	$95,014	200
35	Memphis, TN	$100,120	$44,810, $598,360	84	$119,190	790
36	Las Vegas, NV	$99,950	$62,180, $222,860	109	$91,697	1,020
37	Charlotte, NC	$99,440	$49,760, $222,260	96.7	$102,834	4,850
38	Spokane, WA	$99,350	$59,770, $289,330	97.4	$102,002	250
39	Baltimore, MD	$98,970	$48,110, $412,790	114.2	$86,664	3,240
40	Houston, TX	$98,930	$49,120, $323,990	96.5	$102,518	4,130
41	Denver, CO	$98,740	$57,890, $294,770	112.8	$87,535	4,700
42	Orlando, FL	$98,700	$47,790, $374,350	103.1	$95,732	2,100
43	Greenville, SC	$97,090	$48,060, $277,020	90.1	$107,758	420
44	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$96,100	$65,490, $296,400	122.4	$78,513	830
45	Austin, TX	$95,990	$52,550, $410,600	103	$93,194	2,010
46	Albuquerque, NM	$95,990	$64,380, $493,730	94	$102,117	290
47	Little Rock, AR	$94,370	$37,690, $213,030	88.2	$106,995	540
48	Des Moines, IA	$94,270	$52,840, $201,940	93.3	$101,040	640
49	Nashville, TN	$91,040	$47,510, $409,340	100.3	$90,768	1,710
50	Reno, NV	$85,470	$41,100, $228,880	106.5	$80,254	0
51	Providence, RI	$83,720	$49,970, $175,070	119.4	$70,117	1,200
52	Tampa, FL	$82,580	$51,310, $361,590	99.6	$82,912	3,660
53	Hartford, CT	$81,990	$58,830, $165,380	112.6	$72,815	0
54	Columbus, OH	$81,600	$47,860, $215,250	93.1	$87,648	1,900
55	Wichita, KS	$81,200	$51,460, $266,380	84	$96,667	470
56	Omaha, NE	$80,550	$53,950, $278,090	91.8	$87,745	1,120
57	Cincinnati, OH	$80,540	$45,220, $307,940	91.2	$88,311	2,510
58	Knoxville, TN	$80,370	$43,880, $436,010	90.3	$89,003	420
59	Birmingham, AL	$79,480	$38,660, $338,040	90.4	$87,920	1,190
60	Salt Lake City, UT	$77,990	$50,450, $217,930	101.4	$76,913	1,900
61	Detroit, MI	$76,830	$45,530, $310,010	95.1	$80,789	3,430
62	New Orleans, LA	$74,990	$43,150, $403,680	95.9	$78,196	440
63	Tulsa, OK	$74,990	$49,990, $194,760	86.8	$86,394	450
64	Lexington, KY	$74,260	$45,160, $241,770	91.3	$81,336	200
65	Louisville, KY	$72,760	$43,880, $241,370	90.2	$80,665	670
66	Colorado Springs, CO	$72,430	$58,660, $102,640	104.5	$69,311	0
67	Oklahoma City, OK	$67,380	$24,630, $170,660	86.5	$77,896	500
68	Tucson, AZ	$58,450	$41,700, $166,060	95.4	$61,268	680

Ranked by Purchasing Power (COL-Adjusted)

Cost-of-living adjusted salaries show where your Personal Financial Advisor paycheck goes furthest. A lower COL index means your dollars stretch further.

Rank	City	COL-Adjusted	Raw Median	COL Index
1	Greensboro, NC	$138,346	$126,310	91.3
2	Milwaukee, WI	$129,168	$125,810	97.4
3	Kansas City, MO	$129,078	$123,140	95.4
4	Pittsburgh, PA	$125,244	$115,600	92.3
5	Albany, NY	$123,744	$124,610	100.7
6	Madison, WI	$121,387	$126,000	103.8
7	Memphis, TN	$119,190	$100,120	84
8	St. Louis, MO	$115,211	$103,690	90
9	Boise, ID	$115,044	$117,460	102.1
10	Indianapolis, IN	$113,918	$102,640	90.1
11	Buffalo, NY	$112,054	$103,650	92.5
12	Bakersfield, CA	$110,915	$111,580	100.6
13	San Antonio, TX	$110,852	$101,430	91.5
14	Rochester, NY	$108,881	$101,150	92.9
15	Richmond, VA	$108,629	$110,910	102.1
16	Greenville, SC	$107,758	$97,090	90.1
17	Little Rock, AR	$106,995	$94,370	88.2
18	Jacksonville, FL	$106,709	$101,480	95.1
19	Chicago, IL	$105,508	$113,210	107.3
20	Raleigh, NC	$104,990	$104,780	99.8
21	Atlanta, GA	$104,829	$103,990	99.2
22	Phoenix, AZ	$102,959	$103,680	100.7
23	Charlotte, NC	$102,834	$99,440	96.7
24	Sacramento, CA	$102,606	$127,950	124.7
25	Houston, TX	$102,518	$98,930	96.5
26	Albuquerque, NM	$102,117	$95,990	94
27	Miami, FL	$102,088	$125,670	123.1
28	Spokane, WA	$102,002	$99,350	97.4
29	Des Moines, IA	$101,040	$94,270	93.3
30	Bridgeport, CT	$98,742	$135,770	137.5
31	Philadelphia, PA	$98,446	$116,560	118.4
32	Minneapolis, MN	$97,373	$103,410	106.2
33	Wichita, KS	$96,667	$81,200	84
34	Orlando, FL	$95,732	$98,700	103.1
35	Fresno, CA	$95,014	$100,240	105.5
36	Portland, OR	$94,412	$122,830	130.1
37	Austin, TX	$93,194	$95,990	103
38	Las Vegas, NV	$91,697	$99,950	109
39	New York, NY	$90,839	$170,050	187.2
40	Nashville, TN	$90,768	$91,040	100.3
41	San Francisco, CA	$89,427	$160,610	179.6
42	Knoxville, TN	$89,003	$80,370	90.3
43	Cincinnati, OH	$88,311	$80,540	91.2
44	Birmingham, AL	$87,920	$79,480	90.4
45	Omaha, NE	$87,745	$80,550	91.8
46	Columbus, OH	$87,648	$81,600	93.1
47	Denver, CO	$87,535	$98,740	112.8
48	Baltimore, MD	$86,664	$98,970	114.2
49	Tulsa, OK	$86,394	$74,990	86.8
50	Boston, MA	$83,189	$126,530	152.1
51	Tampa, FL	$82,912	$82,580	99.6
52	San Diego, CA	$81,355	$130,330	160.2
53	Lexington, KY	$81,336	$74,260	91.3
54	Detroit, MI	$80,789	$76,830	95.1
55	Louisville, KY	$80,665	$72,760	90.2
56	Reno, NV	$80,254	$85,470	106.5
57	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$78,513	$96,100	122.4
58	New Orleans, LA	$78,196	$74,990	95.9
59	Oklahoma City, OK	$77,896	$67,380	86.5
60	Salt Lake City, UT	$76,913	$77,990	101.4
61	Seattle, WA	$76,667	$114,540	149.4
62	Los Angeles, CA	$74,994	$124,490	166
63	Hartford, CT	$72,815	$81,990	112.6
64	Providence, RI	$70,117	$83,720	119.4
65	San Jose, CA	$69,877	$136,820	195.8
66	Washington, DC	$69,522	$106,230	152.8
67	Colorado Springs, CO	$69,311	$72,430	104.5
68	Tucson, AZ	$61,268	$58,450	95.4

Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY pays the highest median Personal Financial Advisor salary at $170,050. However, after cost-of-living adjustment, Greensboro, NC offers the most purchasing power at $138,346 adjusted.

The national median Personal Financial Advisor salary is $102,203 based on BLS data. Salaries range from $58,450 to $170,050 depending on city.

Not necessarily. A city with higher nominal pay may have a higher cost of living that offsets the salary difference. Compare the "COL-Adjusted" column in both tables above, cities with lower costs of living often offer better real purchasing power.