National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Accountants earn a national median of $79,880/year vs Financial Advisors at $99,580/year. Financial Advisors earn 25% more nationally. The gap is $19,700 per year — or $1,642 per month.
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Accountant
$79,880
national median/year
$6,657/mo • $38/hr
VS
Financial Advisor
$99,580
national median/year
$8,298/mo • $48/hr
Annual salary gap
$19,700
Financial Advisors earn 25% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $223,305.
Best states for Financial Advisors
vs Accountants
New York+$50,000
New Jersey+$40,000
Massachusetts+$36,000
California+$30,000
Connecticut+$30,000
Best states for Accountants
vs Financial Advisors
Arkansas+$-6,000
Mississippi+$-6,000
West Virginia+$-6,000
Alabama+$-8,000
Alaska+$-10,000
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Financial Advisors earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Accountants is $79,880 versus $99,580 for Financial Advisors — a difference of $19,700 per year or $1,642 per month.
The national median salary gap between Accountants and Financial Advisors is $19,700 per year. Financial Advisors earn 25% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $223,305.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Accountants the highest median salary at $98,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, New York pays Financial Advisors the highest median salary at $148,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Financial Advisors earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Accountants and Auditors and Personal Financial Advisors both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Accountants earn approximately $38 per hour nationally and Financial Advisors earn approximately $48 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
