Financial Advisor vs Human Resources Manager: which pays more?
Human Resources Managers earn about $34,000 more per year than financial advisors — roughly 33% 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 →Human Resources Manager
$136,000
median per year
Human resources managers plan and coordinate an organization's people operations.
Full human resources manager salary data →Side-by-side breakdown
| Metric | Financial Advisor | Human Resources Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $102,000 | $136,000 |
| Median hourly pay | $49 | $65 |
| Entry-level (10th percentile) | $55,000 | $85,000 |
| Top earners (90th percentile) | $210,000 | $215,000 |
| Education required | Bachelor's degree plus licensing; CFP certification preferred. | Bachelor's degree in HR or business plus experience; SHRM certification helps. |
| Job outlook | 17% growth through 2033 — much faster than average. | 6% growth through 2033 — faster than average. |
Pay by state
| State | Financial Advisor | Human Resources Manager | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $120,500 | $160,500 | −$40,000 for Human Resources Manager |
| New York | $116,500 | $155,000 | −$38,500 for Human Resources Manager |
| Massachusetts | $115,500 | $153,500 | −$38,000 for Human Resources Manager |
| Washington | $114,000 | $152,500 | −$38,500 for Human Resources Manager |
| New Jersey | $111,000 | $148,000 | −$37,000 for Human Resources Manager |
| Colorado | $106,000 | $141,500 | −$35,500 for Human Resources Manager |
| Illinois | $104,000 | $138,500 | −$34,500 for Human Resources Manager |
| Pennsylvania | $100,000 | $133,500 | −$33,500 for Human Resources Manager |
| Texas | $99,000 | $132,000 | −$33,000 for Human Resources Manager |
| Arizona | $98,000 | $130,500 | −$32,500 for Human Resources Manager |
| Michigan | $97,000 | $129,000 | −$32,000 for Human Resources Manager |
| Ohio | $96,000 | $128,000 | −$32,000 for Human Resources Manager |
| Georgia | $96,000 | $128,000 | −$32,000 for Human Resources Manager |
| North Carolina | $95,000 | $126,500 | −$31,500 for Human Resources Manager |
| Florida | $94,000 | $125,000 | −$31,000 for Human Resources Manager |
Which career should you choose?
Pay is only one part of the decision. Human Resources Managers earn more on paper, but bachelor's degree in hr or business plus experience; shrm certification helps. takes longer and costs more than bachelor's degree plus licensing; cfp certification preferred.. If you want to start earning sooner, financial advisor is usually the faster route. If long-term earning ceiling matters most, human resources manager tops out at $215,000 versus $210,000.
Job security also differs: financial advisor outlook is "17% growth through 2033 — much faster than average." while human resources manager outlook is "6% growth through 2033 — faster than average."