The median annual wage of financial advisors was $64,750 in May 2010. (The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.) The lowest 10% earned less than $32,660, and the top 10% earned more than $166,400.

Financial advisors who work for financial services firms are often paid a salary plus bonuses. Advisors typically earn their money by charging a percentage of the clients' assets that they manage. They may also earn money by charging an hourly fee or by getting fees on stock and insurance purchases. In addition to their fees, advisors generally get commissions for financial products that they sell.