Financial Advisor vs Financial Analyst: which pays more?
Financial Advisors earn about $2,000 more per year than financial analysts — roughly 2% higher at the national median. Here is how the two careers compare on pay, training, and outlook.
Financial Advisor
$102,000
median per year
Personal financial advisors help clients plan for retirement, investments, taxes, and insurance.
Full financial advisor salary data →Financial Analyst
$100,000
median per year
Financial analysts evaluate investments and guide business and individual financial decisions.
Full financial analyst salary data →Side-by-side breakdown
| Metric | Financial Advisor | Financial Analyst |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $102,000 | $100,000 |
| Median hourly pay | $49 | $48 |
| Entry-level (10th percentile) | $55,000 | $65,000 |
| Top earners (90th percentile) | $210,000 | $170,000 |
| Education required | Bachelor's degree plus licensing; CFP certification preferred. | Bachelor's degree in finance, economics, or accounting; CFA helps. |
| Job outlook | 17% growth through 2033 — much faster than average. | 9% growth through 2033 — faster than average. |
Pay by state
| State | Financial Advisor | Financial Analyst | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $120,500 | $118,000 | +$2,500 for Financial Advisor |
| New York | $116,500 | $114,000 | +$2,500 for Financial Advisor |
| Massachusetts | $115,500 | $113,000 | +$2,500 for Financial Advisor |
| Washington | $114,000 | $112,000 | +$2,000 for Financial Advisor |
| New Jersey | $111,000 | $109,000 | +$2,000 for Financial Advisor |
| Colorado | $106,000 | $104,000 | +$2,000 for Financial Advisor |
| Illinois | $104,000 | $102,000 | +$2,000 for Financial Advisor |
| Pennsylvania | $100,000 | $98,000 | +$2,000 for Financial Advisor |
| Texas | $99,000 | $97,000 | +$2,000 for Financial Advisor |
| Arizona | $98,000 | $96,000 | +$2,000 for Financial Advisor |
| Michigan | $97,000 | $95,000 | +$2,000 for Financial Advisor |
| Ohio | $96,000 | $94,000 | +$2,000 for Financial Advisor |
| Georgia | $96,000 | $94,000 | +$2,000 for Financial Advisor |
| North Carolina | $95,000 | $93,000 | +$2,000 for Financial Advisor |
| Florida | $94,000 | $92,000 | +$2,000 for Financial Advisor |
Which career should you choose?
Pay is only one part of the decision. Financial Advisors earn more on paper, but bachelor's degree plus licensing; cfp certification preferred. takes longer and costs more than bachelor's degree in finance, economics, or accounting; cfa helps.. If you want to start earning sooner, financial analyst is usually the faster route. If long-term earning ceiling matters most, financial advisor tops out at $210,000 versus $170,000.
Job security also differs: financial advisor outlook is "17% growth through 2033 — much faster than average." while financial analyst outlook is "9% growth through 2033 — faster than average."