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The average salary for an investment counselor stands at approximately $120,817 per year, translating to about $58 per hour. This figure reflects a competitive compensation structure influenced by factors such as experience level, geographic location, and the specific financial sector in which one works.
Entry-level investment counselors typically earn less, with starting salaries around $80,000, while experienced professionals can command much higher wages, particularly in high-demand areas such as New York and California. The following outlines a general salary progression:
Investment counselors can maximize their earning potential by seeking opportunities in states such as New York, California, and Massachusetts, where salaries frequently exceed the national average. Additionally, specializing in areas like portfolio management or financial planning can lead to higher compensation. Understanding regional salary differences is essential for making informed career choices.
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The highest-paying states for investment counselors are New York, Massachusetts, and California. The lowest average investment counselor salary states are Wyoming, South Dakota, and Mississippi.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $140,990 | $67.78 |
| 2 | Maine | $124,959 | $60.08 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $122,286 | $58.79 |
| 4 | California | $133,793 | $64.32 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $117,517 | $56.50 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $114,499 | $55.05 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $123,691 | $59.47 |
| 8 | Washington | $115,401 | $55.48 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $136,590 | $65.67 |
| 10 | Illinois | $110,093 | $52.93 |
| 11 | Oregon | $114,494 | $55.05 |
| 12 | New Mexico | $109,873 | $52.82 |
| 13 | Louisiana | $105,466 | $50.70 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $103,088 | $49.56 |
| 15 | Delaware | $107,172 | $51.52 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $114,744 | $55.17 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $112,827 | $54.24 |
| 18 | Idaho | $104,495 | $50.24 |
| 19 | Virginia | $113,488 | $54.56 |
| 20 | Michigan | $104,695 | $50.33 |
| 21 | Arizona | $99,095 | $47.64 |
| 22 | Vermont | $99,034 | $47.61 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $101,162 | $48.64 |
| 24 | Ohio | $102,371 | $49.22 |
| 25 | Texas | $101,048 | $48.58 |
| 26 | Georgia | $97,555 | $46.90 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $98,093 | $47.16 |
| 28 | Florida | $93,128 | $44.77 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $95,702 | $46.01 |
| 30 | Nevada | $93,739 | $45.07 |
| 31 | Alaska | $88,471 | $42.53 |
| 32 | Colorado | $91,623 | $44.05 |
| 33 | Kansas | $93,943 | $45.16 |
| 34 | Alabama | $93,213 | $44.81 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $92,138 | $44.30 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $89,112 | $42.84 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $74,745 | $35.94 |
| 38 | Maryland | $87,221 | $41.93 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $87,226 | $41.94 |
| 40 | Indiana | $87,662 | $42.15 |
| 41 | Iowa | $82,489 | $39.66 |
| 42 | Wisconsin | $87,787 | $42.21 |
| 43 | Montana | $70,465 | $33.88 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $84,179 | $40.47 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $75,041 | $36.08 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $76,333 | $36.70 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $73,092 | $35.14 |
| 48 | Missouri | $76,816 | $36.93 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $72,361 | $34.79 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $71,828 | $34.53 |
| 51 | Utah | $67,674 | $32.54 |
The highest-paying cities for investment counselors are New York, NY, San Francisco, CA, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $145,778 | $70.09 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $143,861 | $69.16 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $140,703 | $67.65 |
| 4 | Vancouver, WA | $118,429 | $56.94 |
| 5 | Hillsboro, OR | $115,784 | $55.67 |
| 6 | Virginia Beach, VA | $114,758 | $55.17 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $111,895 | $53.80 |
| 8 | Central, LA | $107,715 | $51.79 |
| 9 | Pittsburgh, PA | $101,701 | $48.89 |
| 10 | DeSoto, TX | $99,350 | $47.76 |
| 11 | Saint Paul, MN | $96,128 | $46.22 |
| 12 | Miami, FL | $95,305 | $45.82 |
An investment counselor's salary ranges from $68,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $213,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $213,000 | $17,750 | $102 |
| 75th Percentile | $163,000 | $13,583 | $78 |
| Average | $120,817 | $10,068 | $58 |
| 25th Percentile | $89,000 | $7,417 | $43 |
| 10th Percentile | $68,000 | $5,667 | $33 |
The highest paying types of investment counselors are investment associate, personal investment adviser, and investment consultant.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finance Advising Internship | $58,376 | $4,865 | $28.07 | 117,509 |
| Finance Planner | $71,607 | $5,967 | $34.43 | 91,557 |
| Finance Professional | $55,551 | $4,629 | $26.71 | 124,570 |
| Finance Advisor | $64,993 | $5,416 | $31.25 | 106,311 |
| Wealth Management Internship | $87,382 | $7,282 | $42.01 | 119,112 |
| Client Advisor | $71,135 | $5,928 | $34.20 | 86,363 |
Top companies hiring investment counselors now:
Investment counselor salaries at Citi and Wellington Group are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average investment counselor salary at companies like BMO Capital Markets and Marsh & McLennan Companies are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Citi | $154,034 | $74.05 |
| 2 | Wellington Group | $148,607 | $71.45 |
| 3 | BMO Capital Markets | $143,734 | $69.10 |
| 4 | Marsh & McLennan Companies | $141,835 | $68.19 |
| 5 | The Independent Traveler | $141,769 | $68.16 |
| 6 | Fisher Investments | $139,895 | $67.26 |
| 7 | HSBC Bank | $138,420 | $66.55 |
| 8 | BNY Mellon | $126,355 | $60.75 |
| 9 | David Lerner Associates | $112,780 | $54.22 |
| 10 | Wellington Management | $111,961 | $53.83 |
| 11 | Edward Jones | $107,133 | $51.51 |
| 12 | Nationwide | $103,432 | $49.73 |
| 13 | The Travelers Companies | $102,230 | $49.15 |
| 14 | Fidelity Investments | $95,117 | $45.73 |
| 15 | Equitable Holdings | $91,965 | $44.21 |
| 16 | Progressive | $87,581 | $42.11 |
The average investment counselor salary has risen by $30,769 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average investment counselor earned $90,048 annually, but today, they earn $120,817 a year. That works out to a -1% change in pay for investment counselors over the last decade.
Compare investment counselor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare investment counselor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $121,000 | $58.09 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $119,000 | $57.12 | -1.2% |
| 2023 | $120,000 | $57.80 | -2.0% |
| 2022 | $123,000 | $58.94 | +0.1% |
| 2021 | $122,000 | $58.87 | +1.5% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilton Re | Finance and Investments Counsel | Norwalk, CT | 06/26/2025 | $190,000 |
| Whistler Partners | Counsel @ Digital Asset Investment Fund | New York, NY | 05/26/2025 | $250,000 |
| HSBC | Investment Counselor | New York, NY | 04/29/2025 | $144,500 |
| Ultimate Staffing | Investment Counselor (Portfolio Manager) | Los Angeles, CA | 04/26/2025 | $150,000 |
| Citigroup Inc. | Citi Private Bank-Uhnw Investment Counselor-Dir/Md | Greenwich, CT | 04/23/2025 | $170,000 |
| Citigroup | Investment Counselor Lead | San Francisco, CA | 04/23/2025 | $175,900 |
| Citigroup Inc. | Investment Counselor Lead-C13 | Miami, FL | 04/16/2025 | $145,040 |
| Citigroup Inc. | Investment Counselor | New York, NY | 04/11/2025 | $200,000 |
| Fisher Investments | International Investment Counsellor (US Based)-UK Clients | Vancouver, WA | 03/24/2025 | $80,000 |
| Fisher Investments | International Investment Counsellor (US Based)-UK Clients | Portland, OR | 03/24/2025 | $80,000 |
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