Raleigh · Occupational wage benchmark
Personal Financial Advisors Salary in Raleigh
What Personal Financial Advisors actually earn in the Raleigh metro area — the published BLS median, what it is worth after local costs, and how it ranks against other major metros.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2024 estimates (published April 2025)), Raleigh-Cary, NC metro estimates for SOC 13-2052; cost-of-living adjustment from U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (MARPP) (2024). Occupational wage benchmarks across all workers, not MBA-specific outcomes.
- Median annual wage
- $104,780
- Personal Financial Advisors in Raleigh
- Adjusted for cost of living
- $106,747
- Raleigh price level 98.2 (U.S. = 100)
- Rank among metros
- #16 of 43
- #19 after cost of living
- Workers employed
- 2,340
- in metro Raleigh
What Personal Financial Advisors earn in Raleigh, adjusted for what it costs to live there
A headline wage only means something next to local prices. Once local prices are accounted for, Raleigh drops 3 places — a higher headline wage is partly consumed by a higher cost of living.
| Metro | Median (nominal) | Adjusted for cost of living |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $170,050 | $151,071 |
| San Francisco | $160,610 | $138,920 |
| San Jose | $136,820 | $123,905 |
| San Diego | $130,330 | $116,484 |
| Sacramento | $127,950 | $119,949 |
| Milwaukee | $125,810 | $129,785 |
| Miami | $125,670 | $110,087 |
| Los Angeles | $124,490 | $109,619 |
| Kansas City | $123,140 | $133,062 |
| Philadelphia | $116,560 | $113,657 |
| Pittsburgh | $115,600 | $122,107 |
| Seattle | $114,540 | $103,066 |
| Chicago | $113,210 | $109,281 |
| Richmond | $110,910 | $113,338 |
| Washington DC | $106,230 | $97,563 |
| Raleigh | $104,780 | $106,747 |
| Atlanta | $103,990 | $103,930 |
| St. Louis | $103,690 | $109,046 |
| Phoenix | $103,680 | $100,352 |
| Buffalo | $103,650 | $108,144 |
Nominal medians: BLS OEWS, May 2024 estimates (published April 2025) — occupational wage benchmarks across all workers, not MBA-specific outcomes. Adjusted column: SalaryMBA estimate, computed as nominal ÷ (metro RPP ÷ 100) using BEA MARPP 2024 regional price parities.
The national pay range for Personal Financial Advisors
BLS publishes the full percentile distribution nationally. The spread within the occupation is usually far wider than the gap between metros.
| Percentile (national) | Annual wage | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $50,190 | Entry / early-career end |
| 25th percentile | $72,440 | |
| Median (50th) | $105,070 | |
| 75th percentile | $176,790 | |
| 90th percentile | $357,020 | Senior / top-market end |
Other MBA-relevant roles in Raleigh
How to read the Raleigh number
The $104,780 median means half of Personal Financial Advisors in the Raleigh area earn less and half earn more. It is measured across everyone in the occupation — every experience level, industry, and level of education. It is not the salary of a recent MBA graduate, and it is not a starting salary.
BLS counts roughly 2,340 people in this role in the Raleigh area. To compare against the state and national picture, see Personal Financial Advisors nationally or model your own economics with the MBA ROI calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much do Personal Financial Advisors make in Raleigh?
Personal Financial Advisors in the Raleigh metro area earn a median of $104,780 per year, according to BLS OEWS May 2024 estimates (published April 2025). That is -0.3% vs national, ranking Raleigh #16 of 43 major metros we track for this role. This is an occupational wage benchmark across all workers in the metro, not an MBA-graduate-specific salary.
Is $104,780 a good salary in Raleigh?
It depends on local prices. The Raleigh area price level is 98.2 against a U.S. average of 100, so $104,780 there carries roughly the purchasing power of $106,747 nationally — about $1,967 more than the headline number implies. Once local prices are accounted for, Raleigh drops 3 places — a higher headline wage is partly consumed by a higher cost of living.
Do Personal Financial Advisors in Raleigh need an MBA?
These BLS figures cover everyone in the occupation regardless of degree, so they cannot isolate what an MBA adds. Personal Financial Advisors is a role MBA graduates commonly target, and an MBA can affect where you land within the range through network, function, and seniority — but any precise MBA premium for this role in Raleigh would not be supported by this data.
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