National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Financial Advisors earn a national median of $99,580/year vs Paralegals at $59,200/year. Financial Advisors earn 41% more nationally. The gap is $40,380 per year — or $3,365 per month.
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Financial Advisor
$99,580
national median/year
$8,298/mo • $48/hr
VS
Paralegal
$59,200
national median/year
$4,933/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$40,380
Financial Advisors earn 41% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $457,719.
Best states for Paralegals
vs Financial Advisors
Hawaii+$-26,120
Alabama+$-28,120
Arkansas+$-28,120
Maine+$-28,120
Mississippi+$-28,120
Best states for Financial Advisors
vs Paralegals
New York+$74,120
New Jersey+$60,120
Massachusetts+$58,120
Connecticut+$54,120
California+$52,120
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Financial Advisors earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Financial Advisors is $99,580 versus $59,200 for Paralegals — a difference of $40,380 per year or $3,365 per month.
The national median salary gap between Financial Advisors and Paralegals is $40,380 per year. Financial Advisors earn 41% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $457,719.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, New York pays Financial Advisors the highest median salary at $148,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Paralegals the highest median salary at $76,200 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. Personal Financial Advisors and Paralegals and Legal Assistants 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, Financial Advisors earn approximately $48 per hour nationally and Paralegals earn approximately $28 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.
