Retirement Planner Salary in the United States

How much does a Retirement Planner make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Retirement Planner in the United States is $60,901 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $29.

However, a Retirement Planner's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $77,970
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $54,006 to $69,836
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $47,729

Key Factors That Influence Retirement Planner Salaries

A Retirement Planner's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Retirement Planner Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Retirement Planner's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $60,230
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $60,422
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $62,337
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $66,163
  • Expert (over 8 years): $67,693
Levels Salary
Entry Level Retirement Planner$60,230
Intermediate Level Retirement Planner$60,422
Senior Level Retirement Planner$62,337
Specialist Level Retirement Planner$66,163
Expert Level Retirement Planner$67,693

Top Paying Cities for Retirement Planners

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $76,814
  • San Francisco: $75,973
  • Oakland: $74,372

What Skills Can Increase a Retirement Planner's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Planning (Mentioned in 8.19% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
  • Microsoft Excel (Mentioned in 2.22% Job Postings): Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet developed by Microsoft for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. It features calculation or computation capabilities, graphing tools, pivot tables, and a macro programming language called Visual Basic for Applications.
  • Workday (Mentioned in 1.74% Job Postings): A cloud-based human resource management software system that unifies a wide range of HR functionality into a single system.
Skills Demand Percentage
Planning 8.19%
Microsoft Excel 2.22%
Workday 1.74%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Retirement Planner's salary.

  • Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
  • Loan Review: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Consulting $73,690
21%
Leadership $72,472
19%
Loan Review $66,382
9%

Retirement Planner Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Retirement Planner roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Insurance, offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely, Retirement Planner positions in Business Services typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Retirement Planner as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Retirement Planner

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Insurance$73,081$35.020%

How Education impacts a Retirement Planner's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Retirement Planners enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Retirement Planner with a Bachelor's Degree is between $61,813 and $68,170).

Retirement Planner Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Retirement Planner
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.6%
High School 15.2%
Associates 8.0%
Bachelors 64.8%
Masters 10.4%
Doctorate 0.0%

Retirement Planner Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Retirement Planner's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$54,006
Average $60,901/year
$69,836
$4,501
Average $5,075/month
$5,820
$1,039
Average $1,171/week
$1,343
$26
Average $29/hour
$34
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $69,836 $5,820 $1,343 $34
Average $60,901 $5,075 $1,171 $29
25th Percentile $54,006 $4,501 $1,039 $26

Most common benefits for Retirement Planner

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Retirement Planner

Here are companies hiring for Retirement Planner and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Retirement Planner

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Retirement Planner?

The Insurance industry offers the highest average compensation for Retirement Planner roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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