National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Plumbers earn a national median of $61,550/year vs Financial Advisors at $99,580/year. Financial Advisors earn 62% more nationally. The gap is $38,030 per year — or $3,169 per month.
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Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
VS
Financial Advisor
$99,580
national median/year
$8,298/mo • $48/hr
Annual salary gap
$38,030
Financial Advisors earn 62% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $431,081.
Best states for Financial Advisors
vs Plumbers
New York+$66,000
Massachusetts+$52,000
New Jersey+$52,000
California+$50,000
Virginia+$50,000
Best states for Plumbers
vs Financial Advisors
Alaska+$-6,000
Hawaii+$-6,000
North Dakota+$-14,000
West Virginia+$-18,000
Wyoming+$-18,000
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Financial Advisors earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Plumbers is $61,550 versus $99,580 for Financial Advisors — a difference of $38,030 per year or $3,169 per month.
The national median salary gap between Plumbers and Financial Advisors is $38,030 per year. Financial Advisors earn 62% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $431,081.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Alaska pays Plumbers the highest median salary at $82,320 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. Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters 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, Plumbers earn approximately $30 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.
