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Retirement Advisor Salary in the United States

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

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Retirement Advisor in the United States is $60,504 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $29.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $77,984
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $53,761 to $69,654
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $47,621
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Retirement Advisor Salaries

A Retirement Advisor'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 Advisor Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Retirement Advisor'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): $58,912
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $59,099
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $60,972
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $64,714
  • Expert (over 8 years): $66,211
Levels Salary
Entry Level Retirement Advisor$58,912
Intermediate Level Retirement Advisor$59,099
Senior Level Retirement Advisor$60,972
Specialist Level Retirement Advisor$64,714
Expert Level Retirement Advisor$66,211
View as Graph

How Do Retirement Advisor Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Retirement Advisors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $66,990.
  • California: $66,736.
  • Massachusetts: $65,847.

Top Paying Cities for Retirement Advisors

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: $76,314
  • San Francisco: $75,478
  • Oakland: $73,887

What Skills Can Increase a Retirement Advisor'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%
See More Skills

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 Advisor'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 $73,210
21%
Leadership $72,000
19%
Loan Review $65,949
9%
Get Latest Data

Retirement Advisor Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Retirement Advisor 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 Advisor positions in Business Services typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Retirement Advisor as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Retirement Advisor

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Insurance$72,605$35.020%

How Education impacts a Retirement Advisor's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Retirement Advisors 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 Advisor with a Bachelor's Degree is between $61,813 and $68,170).

Retirement Advisor Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Retirement Advisor
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%
View as Graph

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

Understanding how a Retirement Advisor'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
$53,761
Average $60,504/year
$69,654
$4,480
Average $5,042/month
$5,804
$1,034
Average $1,164/week
$1,339
$26
Average $29/hour
$33
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $69,654 $5,804 $1,339 $33
Average $60,504 $5,042 $1,164 $29
25th Percentile $53,761 $4,480 $1,034 $26

Most common benefits for Retirement Advisor

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

Common company salaries for Retirement Advisor

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

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FAQ about Retirement Advisor

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

The Insurance industry offers the highest average compensation for Retirement Advisor 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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