Personal Financial Advisors
Also called: Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Financial Advisor, Financial Planner, Portfolio ManagerAdvise clients on financial plans using knowledge of tax and investment strategies, securities, insurance, pension plans, and real estate. Duties include assessing clients' assets, liabilities, cash flow, insurance coverage, tax status, and financial objectives. May also buy and sell financial assets for clients.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 20 of its 21 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 1.4% by 2035. In the most exposed occupations, the squeeze shows up first among early-career workers. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 1.7% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 4.3 hires for every 10 job openings in finance and insurance, which employs about 94% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.4.3 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $77,990 | $47,250 to $136,050 | 2,540 |
| Alaska | $78,690 | $62,290 to $152,440 | not published |
| Arizona | $96,950 | $59,610 to $148,090 | 6,430 |
| Arkansas | $79,420 | $49,750 to $155,730 | 1,320 |
| California | $130,330 | $83,860 to $195,420 | 32,200 |
| Colorado | $89,280 | $63,880 to $132,450 | 6,730 |
| Connecticut | $129,720 | $81,990 to $165,850 | not published |
| Delaware | $125,050 | $74,100 to $161,680 | not published |
| District of Columbia | $104,990 | $58,790 to $189,990 | 480 |
| Florida | $100,970 | $65,120 to $206,290 | 21,490 |
| Georgia | $101,450 | $65,270 to $194,990 | 6,830 |
| Hawaii | $76,070 | $52,390 to $125,500 | 550 |
| Idaho | $94,370 | $63,080 to $192,810 | 760 |
| Illinois | $120,130 | $73,010 to $175,680 | 9,760 |
| Indiana | $87,710 | $50,200 to $164,000 | 5,400 |
| Iowa | $92,310 | $70,190 to $148,290 | 1,920 |
| Kansas | $102,530 | $76,590 to $176,090 | 4,150 |
| Kentucky | $67,150 | $45,220 to $114,350 | 2,040 |
| Louisiana | not published | not published | 1,470 |
| Maine | not published | not published | 850 |
| Maryland | $99,880 | $63,090 to $174,930 | 5,260 |
| Massachusetts | $125,670 | $83,810 to $174,720 | not published |
| Michigan | $77,930 | $49,570 to $138,640 | 6,570 |
| Minnesota | $102,660 | $68,470 to $166,680 | 5,280 |
| Mississippi | $63,300 | $53,070 to $133,920 | 790 |
| Missouri | $99,930 | $64,750 to $167,500 | 4,480 |
| Montana | $97,450 | $76,230 to $131,270 | not published |
| Nebraska | $93,280 | $61,200 to $138,130 | 2,210 |
| Nevada | $92,720 | $72,990 to $179,140 | 1,730 |
| New Hampshire | $96,780 | $64,580 to $133,500 | 1,850 |
| New Jersey | $158,570 | $102,930 to $269,310 | 9,300 |
| New Mexico | $94,270 | $73,320 to $183,380 | 610 |
| New York | $166,400 | $102,080 to $282,050 | 21,550 |
| North Carolina | $96,880 | $63,190 to $153,970 | 12,340 |
| North Dakota | $76,870 | $63,660 to $102,890 | 540 |
| Ohio | $90,990 | $63,670 to $158,070 | 7,680 |
| Oklahoma | $68,670 | $55,110 to $102,120 | 1,140 |
| Oregon | $122,830 | $75,310 to $161,810 | 3,070 |
| Pennsylvania | $105,200 | $75,930 to $173,590 | 12,200 |
| Puerto Rico | not published | not published | 440 |
| Rhode Island | $80,200 | $62,690 to $133,440 | 1,130 |
| South Carolina | $96,330 | $60,780 to $176,200 | 2,400 |
| South Dakota | $128,720 | $101,200 to $204,320 | 620 |
| Tennessee | $84,160 | $58,880 to $167,410 | 3,970 |
| Texas | $99,160 | $64,710 to $163,340 | 18,200 |
| Utah | $77,390 | $61,040 to $117,360 | 2,520 |
| Vermont | $110,020 | $79,560 to $177,820 | 520 |
| Virginia | $102,640 | $73,490 to $199,990 | 6,340 |
| Washington | $114,050 | $77,710 to $174,970 | 5,790 |
| West Virginia | $80,010 | $53,500 to $131,910 | 670 |
| Wisconsin | $119,430 | $77,730 to $205,600 | 5,200 |
| Wyoming | $77,490 | $58,090 to $138,110 | 310 |
Nationally: $105,070. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 20 of its 21 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Interview clients to determine their current income, expenses, insurance coverage, tax status, financial objectives, risk tolerance, or other information needed to develop a financial plan. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Analyze financial information obtained from clients to determine strategies for meeting clients' financial objectives. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Answer clients' questions about the purposes and details of financial plans and strategies. | Not published |
| AI + software | Review clients' accounts and plans regularly to determine whether life changes, economic changes, environmental concerns, or financial performance indicate a need for plan reassessment. | Not published |
| AI alone | Recommend to clients strategies in cash management, insurance coverage, investment planning, or other areas to help them achieve their financial goals. | 0.02% |
| AI + software | Manage client portfolios, keeping client plans up-to-date. | Not published |
See all 21 tasks
| AI + software | Implement financial planning recommendations, or refer clients to someone who can assist them with plan implementation. | Not published |
| AI alone | Prepare or interpret for clients information, such as investment performance reports, financial document summaries, or income projections. | 0.15% |
| AI alone | Contact clients periodically to determine any changes in their financial status. | Not published |
| AI + software | Recommend financial products, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or insurance. | 0.05% |
| AI alone | Explain to clients the personal financial advisor's responsibilities and the types of services to be provided. | Not published |
| AI + software | Investigate available investment opportunities to determine compatibility with client financial plans. | Not published |
| AI alone | Guide clients in the gathering of information, such as bank account records, income tax returns, life and disability insurance records, pension plans, or wills. | 0.01% |
| AI + software | Monitor financial market trends to ensure that client plans are responsive. | 0.04% |
| Not much | Meet with clients' other advisors, such as attorneys, accountants, trust officers, or investment bankers, to fully understand clients' financial goals and circumstances. | Not published |
| AI + software | Devise debt liquidation plans that include payoff priorities and timelines. | Not published |
| AI alone | Inform clients about tax benefits, government rebates, or other financial benefits of alternative-fuel vehicle purchases or energy-efficient home construction, improvements, or remodeling. | Not published |
| AI + software | Recruit and maintain client bases. | Not published |
| AI + software | Open accounts for clients, and disburse funds from accounts to creditors as agent for clients. | Not published |
| AI alone | Recommend environmentally responsible investments, such as cleantech, alternative energy, or conservation technologies, companies, or funds. | Not published |
| AI alone | Conduct seminars or workshops on financial planning topics, such as retirement planning, estate planning, or the evaluation of severance packages. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 7 of the 21 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 21 tasks fall under 13 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #3 Respond to customer problems or inquiries
- #17 Implement procedures or processes
- #40 Explain financial information
- and 1 more, in the table below
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explain financial information | |||
| Advise others on financial matters | |||
| Implement procedures or processes | |||
| Evaluate condition of financial assets, property, or other resources | |||
| Respond to customer problems or inquiries | |||
| Calculate financial data | |||
| Analyze market or industry conditions | |||
| Execute financial transactions |
Show all 13 activities
| Develop professional relationships or networks | |||
| Identify business or organizational opportunities | |||
| Interview people to obtain information | |||
| Coordinate activities with clients, agencies, or organizations | |||
| Prepare financial documents, reports, or budgets |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- An explanation or answer20%
- Advice or a recommendation19%
- An analysis or summary18%
- A document or report10%
- A chart or visualization8%
How they worked with Claude
25% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for personal financial advisors specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 130,760 moves out
- 1 Financial Managers Very high +9.7% 7%
- 2 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 6%
- 3 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 4 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 5%
- 5 Chief Executives Very high +3.2% 4%
Where people moved in from
of 158,639 moves in
- 1 Financial Managers Very high +9.7% 6%
- 2 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 5%
- 3 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 4 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products Very high -0.9% 4%
- 5 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 8% postsecondary certificate
- 58% bachelor's
- 23% post-bachelor's certificate
- 12% master's
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 26 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 5% high school
- 10% some college
- 5% associate's
- 55% bachelor's
- 20% master's
- 4% professional degree
- 1% doctorate
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 5,234 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
3 programs: Family Resource Management Studies, General, Finance, General and Financial Planning and Services.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
89.7% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | 65.8% | 19.1% |
| a certification | 34.0% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | <0.5% | 2.8% |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeships: DOL's list of apprenticeable occupations doesn't include this one.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS · Brynjolfsson, Chandar and Chen, Stanford (Aug 2026)
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/13-2052.00