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Financial advisor salary in California

Updated November 2, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$130,330median pay per year in California, or $62.66 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $67,690lowest 10% earn less
  2. $83,86025th percentile
  3. $130,330median
  4. $195,42075th percentile
  5. $393,860top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $105,070[3]

The median pay for financial advisors in California was $130,330 a year in May 2025[1]. That was higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
32,200[4]
Rank by median pay
3 of 49[5]
Compared with US median
+24.0%[6]

How much do financial advisors make in California?

Half of the financial advisors in California earned more than the median of $130,330 a year[1], and half earned less. That works out to $62.66 an hour[1]. The US median was $105,070[3], so California sat $25,260 (24.0%) above it[6]. The California median was $72,090 higher than the median for all jobs in the state, which was $58,240[7][8].

The average was $170,070 a year[9], well above the median. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $67,690, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $393,860[2]. The middle half of the pay range ran from $83,860 to $195,420[2]. About 32,200 people held these jobs in the state[4].

Among metro areas, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median, at $160,610[10]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had 13,980 jobs at a median of $124,490[11]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. OEWS leaves out self-employed people and owners of unincorporated firms. It also leaves out bonuses outside regular production pay and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for financial advisors in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$130,330[1]$105,070[3]
Median per hour$62.66[1]$50.51[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$67,690[2]$50,190[13]
Top 10% earn more than$393,860[2]$357,020[13]
Jobs32,200[4]266,800[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for financial advisors, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$124,49013,980
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$160,6107,130
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$130,3303,010
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$136,8201,530
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$127,9501,260
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$96,100830
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$98,260390
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$124,380210

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for financial advisors in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$122,8303,070
Arizona$96,9506,430
Nevada$92,7201,730

Median pay for financial advisors in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for financial advisors are projected to grow 1.4% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: bachelor's degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a financial advisor make in California?
The median was $130,330 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $170,070 a year[9].
How much does a financial advisor make an hour in California?
The median was $62.66 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $32.55 an hour and the 90th percentile was $189.35[17].
Which city in California pays financial advisors the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median annual wage among the state's metro areas with a published median, at $160,610[10].
Is California a good state for financial advisors?
California had the 3rd highest median annual wage out of 48 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 24.0% higher than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a financial advisor in California?
This is a US figure, not a state one. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a Bachelor's degree[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Personal Financial Advisors in California was $130,330 per year and $62.66 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Personal Financial Advisors in California: 10th percentile $67,690, 25th percentile $83,860, 75th percentile $195,420, 90th percentile $393,860. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Personal Financial Advisors in the US as a whole was $105,070 per year and $50.51 per hour, with about 266,800 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 32,200 people worked as Personal Financial Advisors in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 3rd highest median annual wage for Personal Financial Advisors out of the 48 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Personal Financial Advisors in California ($130,330) was $25,260 (24.0%) higher than the US median ($105,070). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Personal Financial Advisors in California was $72,090 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Personal Financial Advisors in California was $170,070 per year and $81.77 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 21 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Personal Financial Advisors, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA had the highest median annual wage, $160,610. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Personal Financial Advisors in the US: 10th percentile $50,190, 25th percentile $72,440, 75th percentile $176,790, 90th percentile $357,020. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Personal Financial Advisors in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $122,830; Arizona $96,950; Nevada $92,720. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Personal Financial Advisors is projected to grow 1.4% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 17,100 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Personal Financial Advisors: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Personal Financial Advisors in California: 10th percentile $32.55, 25th percentile $40.32, 75th percentile $93.95, 90th percentile $189.35. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.