Career change to financial advisor
Personal Financial Advisors earn a median of $105,070 a year (BLS, May 2025). Below: the jobs whose skills carry over best, what you need to get in, and pay.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0, BLS OEWS May 2025 and BLS CPS 2025 · How we match careers
- Median pay
- $105,070
- Usual preparation
- A bachelor's degree
- Workers 45 or older
- 45%
- U.S. jobs
- 266,800
The best jobs to switch from
Jobs whose skills carry over best into personal financial advisors, by our career-change match score, with the skills people in that job usually need to build.
| If you are now… | Match | Your median pay now | Skills to build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents | 96% | $78,660 | Operations Analysis, Quality Control Analysis, Service Orientation |
| Investment Fund Managers | 90% | $166,570Broader BLS group | Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Operations Analysis |
| Fundraisers | 88% | $72,550 | Operations Analysis, Complex Problem Solving, Systems Analysis |
| Insurance Sales Agents | 88% | $62,280 | Management of Financial Resources, Management of Material Resources, Complex Problem Solving |
| Treasurers and Controllers | 88% | $166,570Broader BLS group | Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Persuasion |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | 84% | $78,760 | Management of Financial Resources, Service Orientation, Instructing |
| Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists | 83% | $78,210 | Management of Financial Resources, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness |
| Actuaries | 81% | $130,000 | Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Persuasion |
| Fundraising Managers | 81% | $125,470 | Operations Analysis, Quality Control Analysis, Systems Evaluation |
| Management Analysts | 81% | $101,860 | Management of Financial Resources, Service Orientation |
Skills to build: skills that are at least 0.25 points more important in the new career (O*NET 31.0 importance, 1–5). How we match careers
What you need to get in
Education
- 58% of workers say the job requires bachelor's degree
- 23% of workers say the job requires post-baccalaureate certificate
- 12% of workers say the job requires master's degree
Usual preparation: A bachelor's degree (O*NET 31.0 Job Zone). Most common on-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
Licenses and requirements
Personal financial advisors typically need a bachelor's degree. They may need a combination of licenses that varies with the products they sell, and advisors who manage investments must be registered with state regulators or, at large firms, with the SEC. Certifications are optional but can help bring in clients.
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Personal Financial Advisors
Similar careers to consider
The careers most like personal financial advisors by skills and daily work (O*NET 31.0).
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents86% similar · $78,660 · A bachelor's degree
- Credit Counselors85% similar · $52,230 · A bachelor's degree
- Investment Fund Managers83% similar · $166,570 · A graduate degree
- Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists83% similar · $78,210 · A bachelor's degree
- Loan Officers83% similar · $76,690 · A bachelor's degree
- Insurance Underwriters82% similar · $81,370 · A bachelor's degree
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Questions about switching to financial advisor
What jobs make it easiest to switch to financial advisor?
By our skill match, people working as Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents (96%), Investment Fund Managers (90%) and Fundraisers (88%) have the most transferable experience.
What education do you need for financial advisor?
Personal Financial Advisors: 58% of workers report bachelor's degree as required; 23% of workers report post-baccalaureate certificate as required; 12% of workers report master's degree as required (O*NET 31.0). Usual preparation: A bachelor's degree.
Is it too late to switch to financial advisor at 40?
45% of personal financial advisors are 45 or older and their median age is 43.6 (BLS Current Population Survey, 2025).
How much do personal financial advisors make?
The national median is $105,070 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). Highest-paying states: New York ($166,400), New Jersey ($158,570), California ($130,330).