National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Financial Advisors earn a national median of $99,580/year vs Real Estate Agents at $61,480/year. Financial Advisors earn 38% more nationally. The gap is $38,100 per year — or $3,175 per month.
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Financial Advisor
$99,580
national median/year
$8,298/mo • $48/hr
VS
Real Estate Agent
$61,480
national median/year
$5,123/mo • $30/hr
Annual salary gap
$38,100
Financial Advisors earn 38% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $431,875.
Best states for Real Estate Agents
vs Financial Advisors
Hawaii+$-11,840
Idaho+$-23,840
Maine+$-23,840
Nevada+$-23,840
South Carolina+$-23,840
Best states for Financial Advisors
vs Real Estate Agents
New York+$65,840
Massachusetts+$53,840
New Jersey+$53,840
Connecticut+$51,840
California+$45,840
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Financial Advisors earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Financial Advisors is $99,580 versus $61,480 for Real Estate Agents — a difference of $38,100 per year or $3,175 per month.
The national median salary gap between Financial Advisors and Real Estate Agents is $38,100 per year. Financial Advisors earn 38% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $431,875.
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 Real Estate Agents the highest median salary at $82,480 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 Real Estate Sales Agents 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 Real Estate Agents earn approximately $30 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.
