Prevailing Wage for Personal Financial Advisors
Prevailing wage for Personal Financial Advisors under SOC 13-2052 is set by DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data. Whether your offer letter says Financial Advisor, Financial Consultant, or Certified Financial Planner (CFP), the same four experience levels apply, and the wage floor shifts significantly depending on which U.S. city your worksite is in.
See all jobs for Personal Financial AdvisorsLook up your work address
Entry-level advisors with limited experience, typically under two years, working under close supervision with a defined book of clients and no independent planning authority. Common for recent graduates entering a structured training program at a wirehouse or regional firm.
Qualified advisors with working knowledge of financial planning tools and some client independence. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Financial Advisors, reflecting mid-tier associates who manage clients but still operate within firm-defined investment models.
Experienced advisors handling complex client portfolios, including estate planning, tax-efficient strategies, and multi-asset allocation. Typically requires five or more years of planning experience and may include team leadership or specialty practice oversight.
Senior advisors or lead Financial Planners with full autonomy over client relationships, firmwide practice development, or management of junior advisors. This level reflects top-of-market compensation and is filed for principals, managing directors, or senior wealth managers.
Prevailing Wage for Personal Financial Advisors by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
See all jobs for Personal Financial Advisors
See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Personal Financial Advisors and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Personal Financial Advisors
Confirm your level before bonuses cloud the picture
Commission-heavy comp structures common in financial advisory roles can inflate total cash above the prevailing wage floor, but DOL counts only base salary for LCA compliance. Make sure your base alone clears the level wage, not your blended total with production bonuses.
Watch for title aliasing between advisor and analyst SOCs
Employers sometimes file LCAs for Financial Advisors under SOC 13-2051 (Financial and Investment Analysts) or 13-2099 instead of SOC 13-2052. That misclassification means a different wage floor applies to your petition, so verify the SOC code on your LCA before signing.
Check metro variance before accepting a regional office offer
Prevailing wages for this occupation range from very low in markets like San Juan and Yuma to substantially higher in New York and Naples. If your worksite is a smaller regional office, the L2 floor in that metro may be well below national norms, affecting your long-term salary baseline.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers with advisory sponsorship history
Financial advisory sponsors are concentrated among wirehouses, insurance-linked RIAs, and large banks. Migrate Mate shows which specific employers have historically sponsored Financial Advisor and CFP roles, so you can target firms with a real track record rather than guessing from job boards.
Jobs for Personal Financial Advisors are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Personal Financial AdvisorsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 13-2052.00 alongside Personal Financial Advisors, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Prevailing Wage
Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Prevailing Wage
Certified Financial Planner (CFP) positions fall under SOC 13-2052.00 (Personal Financial Advisors). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Financial Advisor Prevailing Wage
Financial Advisor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Financial Advisor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-2052.00 (Personal Financial Advisors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Financial Consultant Prevailing Wage
Financial Consultant Prevailing Wage
Financial Consultant is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-2052.00 (Personal Financial Advisors). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Financial Counselor Prevailing Wage
Financial Counselor Prevailing Wage
Financial Counselor positions fall under SOC 13-2052.00 (Personal Financial Advisors). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Financial Life Planner Prevailing Wage
Financial Life Planner Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Financial Life Planner for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-2052.00 (Personal Financial Advisors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Financial Planner Prevailing Wage
Financial Planner Prevailing Wage
Financial Planner is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-2052.00 (Personal Financial Advisors). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Investment Advisor Prevailing Wage
Investment Advisor Prevailing Wage
Investment Advisor positions fall under SOC 13-2052.00 (Personal Financial Advisors). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Portfolio Manager Prevailing Wage
Portfolio Manager Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Portfolio Manager for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-2052.00 (Personal Financial Advisors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Wealth Advisor Prevailing Wage
Wealth Advisor Prevailing Wage
Wealth Advisor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-2052.00 (Personal Financial Advisors). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Wealth Manager Prevailing Wage
Wealth Manager Prevailing Wage
Wealth Manager positions fall under SOC 13-2052.00 (Personal Financial Advisors). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Personal Financial Advisors?
DOL calculates prevailing wages for Personal Financial Advisors using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For each metropolitan or nonmetropolitan area, BLS surveys employer-reported wages for SOC 13-2052. DOL then divides those into four levels based on percentile ranges. Employers file a Labor Condition Application with OFLC certifying they will pay at least the applicable level wage for the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
The four levels reflect experience and autonomy. Level 1 covers entry-level advisors under close supervision. Level 2 reflects qualified professionals with moderate independence, and it is the most common filing level for this occupation. Level 3 covers experienced advisors handling complex planning work. Level 4 applies to senior or lead practitioners with full client and practice autonomy. Your level should match the actual duties and supervision structure in your job description, not just your title.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Financial Advisor role vary so much by city?
DOL's prevailing wage system is worksite-based. The OFLC uses BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys conducted at the metropolitan statistical area level, so wages reflect what employers in each local labor market actually pay. High-density advisory markets like New York carry much higher floors than smaller metros. When an employer files an LCA, they must list the specific worksite city, and the wage obligation attaches to that location, not the national median.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify a Labor Condition Application with OFLC if the offered wage is below the prevailing wage for your level and worksite. If they file anyway with an incorrect wage, the LCA is subject to DOL audit and potential invalidation. For H-1B petitions, USCIS reviews LCA compliance as part of adjudication. A below-floor offer effectively blocks the sponsorship from moving forward unless the employer amends the salary or files at a lower wage level that accurately reflects your duties.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location for this occupation?
The primary tool is the OFLC Wage Search, which lets you look up prevailing wages by SOC code, occupation title, and metropolitan area. Enter SOC 13-2052 and your worksite metro to see current Level 1 through Level 4 wages. You can also review O*NET for occupation details and BLS for underlying wage survey context. To find employers who have already sponsored Financial Advisors in specific markets, Migrate Mate filters sponsored listings by role and location so you can cross-reference real offers against the floor.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Personal Financial Advisors right now.
Search Jobs for Personal Financial Advisors