Financial Advisor.
Pittsburgh.
$83,000
median salary, 6% below the national average
$58,000 to $117,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
The median Financial Advisor salary in Pittsburgh is $83,000, 6% below the national average. Entry level starts near $58,000. Experienced professionals push past $117,000. Pittsburgh has reinvented itself from a steel city into a hub for robotics, autonomous vehicles, and healthcare technology. That spread is your negotiation window. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Financial Advisor in Pittsburgh, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $115,600 for Personal Financial Advisors (SOC 13-2052) in the Pittsburgh, PA metropolitan area, based on 2,030 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$58,700
25th percentile
$76,560
Median
$115,600
75th percentile
$163,900
90th percentile
$397,940
Workers surveyed
2,030
Why this differs from the estimate above. The Orbyt estimate of $83,000 is 28% lower than this published figure. That is usually not an error in either number: BLS reports by occupation code, and Personal Financial Advisors covers a different population than the Financial Advisor title as it is typically advertised. Both are shown, unreconciled, so you can judge which one describes the job you mean.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Personal Financial Advisors (SOC 13-2052) rather than Financial Advisor specifically. The Pittsburghrange at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 13-2052Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $75,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$54,000
to $66,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$71,000
to $87,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$91,000
to $108,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$104,000
to $129,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $20,000 to the total package.
Base
$83,000
Equity
$11,000
Bonus
$7,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $103,000
How Pittsburgh compares.
Pittsburgh, PA
$83,000
Cost of living: 8% below average
National Average
$88,000
Pittsburgh is $5,000 below
Financial Advisor salary by city.
Salary by role in Pittsburgh.
What you should know.
If you are interviewing for Financial Advisor roles in Pittsburgh, here is what you are walking into. Pittsburgh has reinvented itself from a steel city into a hub for robotics, autonomous vehicles, and healthcare technology. Carnegie Mellon University feeds a strong talent pipeline into AI and robotics companies. The city's low cost of living combined with world class research institutions makes it a hidden gem for technology professionals. Assets under management (AUM) and client acquisition ability are the dominant pay factors. Advisors managing $50 million or more in AUM earn substantially more through fee-based compensation. The wirehouse versus independent RIA distinction matters: wirehouses offer higher base salaries, while independent advisors have higher long-term earnings potential.
Associate advisors earn $50,000 to $70,000 during training. Advisors with established books earn $80,000 to $130,000. Senior advisors managing $50 million or more in AUM reach $150,000 to $250,000. Partners and principals at RIA firms with large AUM can earn $300,000 to $1 million or more. In Pittsburgh, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Fee-based advisors earn 0.5 to 1.5% of AUM annually, making a $100 million book worth $500,000 to $1.5 million in annual revenue before firm payout. Commission-based advisors earn front-end loads and trailing commissions. Production bonuses and retention bonuses add 10 to 30% at wirehouses. And on the tax side: pennsylvania's flat 3.07% state tax is low, but Pittsburgh adds a local earned income tax of about 3%. Combined with the school district tax, local taxes require attention in negotiations. When someone quotes you $83,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Highlight robotics or AI specialization. Pittsburgh employers tied to CMU's research ecosystem pay nationally competitive salaries for candidates with advanced technical skills. The range for Financial Advisors in Pittsburgh runs from $58,000 to $117,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- An Operations Manager in Pittsburgh earns $85,000 (2% more)
- The highest-paying role in Pittsburgh is CTO at $265,000
Common questions.
Financial Advisor salary in other cities.
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