Average basic salaries, total earnings and bonuses continued to rise in 2025, the twelfth consecutive year of increases, according to a new report.
Average Financial Planner total earning rose 1% to £110,946 in 2025, with average basic salaries also increasing by 3% to £80,129, the highest level recorded to date, according to the report from Paul Harper Search.
The gender pay gap in total earnings effectively closed in 2025, with female Financial Planners earning on average £111,100. Since 2021, women in the profession’s total earnings have increased by 45%, in comparison with 18% for men. However, there remains a gap at basic salary level with women earning an average basic salary of £72,738 in comparison with £78,738 for men.
Earnings distribution continues to skew towards the top end of the market. Two thirds (61%) of Financial Planners now earn over £100,000, with half (49%) of advisers receiving a bonus of over £80,000. The rise in bonuses was particularly steep, at 42% from 2024.
Basic salary distribution remained clustered, with growth uneven across firm sizes and regions. London continued to command a premium with average total earnings rising by 23%, whilst in contrast the Midlands saw total earning fall by 5% from 2024.
Newly qualified Financial Planners earned an average basic salary of £39,417 in 2025, with average total earnings of £61,540.
The report also looked at job satisfaction. There was a fall in the number of Financial Planners who were dissatisfied with their salary to 17% (from 24% last year).
When considering potential job offers in 2026, 58% of advisers surveyed prioritise salary and compensation (2024: 52%), a third prioritise company culture (2024: 15%) and just 8% prioritised work-life balance (2024: 23%).