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Certified financial planners are earning more money than in previous years and are happy in their jobs.
CFPs earn 11% more than other financial professionals after controlling for such factors as job experience, company size and the type of services they offer, according to the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards' latest compensation study, released Thursday.
The median 2025 total compensation for all financial planners was $195,000, reflecting 15% year-over-year compensation growth from 2024 to 2025.
Tenure and leadership are the biggest compensation differentiators: CFPs with 20-plus years of experience earn a median $360,000, rising to $452,135 for those who supervise five or more staff members, the report states.
"This report reflects what CFP professionals already know: financial planning is a career that offers both purpose and prosperity," K. Dane Snowden, the CFP Board CEO, said in a statement. "It provides financial stability, flexibility and the opportunity to make a real difference in people's lives. CFP certification is a powerful part of that equation — for the professionals who hold it, the firms that employ them and the millions of people they serve. And as demand for advice grows, its value will only continue to rise."
The study also shows high career satisfaction, with 85% of CFPs stating they experience a high to very high sense of personal fulfillment.
CFP professionals also indicate they are satisfied or very satisfied with career attributes, including stability (89%), work-life balance (83%), career advancement (80%) and professional development (80%).
Further, 9 in 10 CFP professionals plan to stay with their current employer over the next two years and, of those considering leaving their current companies, 63% intend to remain in the financial planning profession, the report found.
Pay by Channel
Compensation also varies by business channel, with the median 2025 total compensation as follows:
— RIA $175,000
— Hybrid RIA $181,500
— Bank $206,000
— Wirehouse/Brokerage $213,760
— Independent Broker-Dealer $226,500
Compensation Packages
In addition to salaries, financial planners' compensation packages typically offer benefits including defined contribution retirement plans (96%), professional certification/designation dues (93%) and hybrid work options (81%).
Work-life balance is also important to planners.
Financial planners have a median of 20 days of paid leave per year, with a median of 10 paid holidays annually, as well as access to maternity (85%), paternity (82%), adoption (82%) and family medical leave (76%), according to the report.
Services Offered
The most common services include wealth management/investment planning, comprehensive financial planning and retirement planning, the report states. While some services are more common than others, financial professionals can specialize in various areas.
The leading services provided by financial professionals are:
— Wealth Management/Investment Planning 94%
— Comprehensive Financial Planning 90%
— Risk Management/Insurance Focus 50%
— Estate and Tax Planning 66%
— Retirement Planning 83%
— Employee Benefits and Retirement Plans 47%
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