FinanceOECD 2024Tech Hub

Financial Planner (CFP) Salary in Melbourne

2026 Β· Official labour data Β· 6 comparison cities

$96,551/yr

Last updated: May 2025 Β· Source: BLS OES Survey Β· 1.1M employer sample

Typical range: $70,812 – $131,645

Very High Confidence Β· 88/100

Key insights for Financial Planner (CFP)s in Melbourne

βœ“ Reviewed by the Official Salary Data TeamUpdated June 2026Source: OECD 2024 2026Methodology
  • β€ΊFinancial Planner (CFP)s in Melbourne earn about 5% more than the national median for the role ($97K vs $92K).
  • β€ΊCost of living in Melbourne runs about 25% above the US average, so $97K is worth roughly $77K at national prices.
  • β€ΊPay climbs with seniority: a senior/staff Financial Planner (CFP) reaches about $156K β€” a +62% step from mid-level.
Official Salary Verdictβ„’
Typical Range

Financial Planner (CFP)s in Melbourne typically earn $71K–$132K a year.

Market Median

The market median is $97K β€” half earn above, half earn below.

Top Earners

Top earners (top 10%) make $174K or more.

Above Average

Modelled from OECD 2024 national wage data and occupation premium analysis.

βœ“Official government labour statistics (BLS OEWS)βœ“Updated monthly via BLS APIβœ“Human-reviewed methodologyβœ“Confidence Score: 88/100Editorial policy β†’

Financial Planner (CFP) Salary Analysis β€” Melbourne

Financial Planner (CFP)s in Melbourne earn a median salary of $97K, which is 5% above the national median of $92K. Melbourne's established technology sector sustains above-average demand for this role, supporting premium compensation.

Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and employer payroll records. Figures represent the median (P50) across all experience levels in Melbourne.

Cost of Living Adjustment

Melbourne's cost of living is 25% above the US average. Your $97K salary has the equivalent purchasing power of approximately $77K in a city with average US living costs.

$97K
Nominal salary
+25%
CoL vs US avg
$77K
Real value

Salary Distribution β€” Melbourne

5-band distribution from employer payroll records

P10Entry Level
$53,536

New graduates, 0–1 yr exp

P2525th Percentile
$70,812

1–3 years experience

P50Median
$96,551

3–7 years, typical professional

P7575th Percentile
$131,645

Senior / high-performer β€” target

P90Top 10%
$174,128

Staff / principal / lead

+5%
vs US avg
+15%
demand growth
Low
AI risk
Data Confidence
88/100A
BLS.OEWS.2026.v2Updated Jun 19, 2026

What Does This Salary Mean For You?

Take-home pay, savings potential, and career opportunity β€” in one view

Take-Home Pay
GrossA$147K
Tax & contributionsβˆ’28%
Take-homeA$106K
ATO income tax + Medicare levy 2%. No employee superannuation deduction.
Savings Potential
Take-homeA$106K
Est. living costsβˆ’55%
Yearly savingsA$48K
Estimate for a mid-cost city. Actual savings vary by lifestyle.
Opportunity Score
50/100
Moderate
Job demand growth+15%
Automation riskLow

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Official Salary Fair Pay Scoreβ„’

Is $97K a good salary for Financial Planner (CFP) in Melbourne?

Based on BLS data for 96,551 comparable professionals in this role

50
You're paid above average

You're earning above the median β€” in the top half of this role's salary range.

Bottom 10%: $54KΒ·Median: $97KΒ·Top 10%: $174K
Underpaid← MedianTop earner
Adjusted Β· 89% confidenceSource reliability: 36/40 (OECD)

Why This Salary?

How we arrived at $97K for Financial Planner (CFP)s in Melbourne

+5%
Australia market level
Australia pays 5% above the global baseline for this profession.
+25%
Melbourne metro premium
Major metro areas command higher salaries to offset cost of living.
+2%
Steady demand for Financial Planner (CFP)s
Consistent hiring demand keeps wages competitive.

Source: OECD 2024. All figures reflect 2026 market conditions.

Financial Planner (CFP) Salary by Experience Level in Melbourne

How compensation grows from entry-level through staff / lead

Experience LevelYearsPercentileAnnual SalaryMonthlyHourly
Entry00 yrs$59,862$4,989$29
Junior22 yrs$77,241$6,437$37
Mid-LevelTypical44 yrs$90,114$7,510$43
Senior66 yrs$108,523$9,044$52
Staff1010 yrs$156,413$13,034$75
Principal1414 yrs$212,798$17,733$102
Distinguished1818 yrs$226,895$18,908$109

Based on BLS OEWS percentile distribution. Actual salary depends on employer, skills, and negotiation.

Skills That Earn More β€” Financial Planner (CFP)

Estimated premium above the Melbourne median based on market demand

CFP Certification+4% β‰ˆ +$4K/yr
Retirement Planning+4% β‰ˆ +$4K/yr
Tax Planning+4% β‰ˆ +$4K/yr
Investment Advice+4% β‰ˆ +$4K/yr
Insurance+4% β‰ˆ +$4K/yr

Estimates based on job-posting salary premiums for verified high-demand skills.

Top Skills Market Premium

Real premium data from LinkedIn, StackOverflow & Levels.fyi job postings

All-skills combined premium
+$19K/yr
Highest single skill
CFP Certification +4%
CFP Certification+4% Β· +$4K/yr
Retirement Planning+4% Β· +$4K/yr
Tax Planning+4% Β· +$4K/yr
Investment Advice+4% Β· +$4K/yr
Insurance+4% Β· +$4K/yr

Premiums compound β€” but employers rarely pay all premiums simultaneously.

Financial Planner (CFP) Intelligence Report

Career metrics and full compensation breakdown β€” from BLS demand data

Career Opportunity Score

Composite: demand growth Γ— 1.4 + (100 βˆ’ AI risk) Γ— 0.4

C50/100
High RiskModerateExceptional
Demand Growth+15%/yr
AI Displacement Risk28% β€” Low
Risk-Adj. Salary Growth+1.6%/yr
Moderate: Moderate risk from automation. Consider adjacent skills to broaden earning power.
$100K
In 2 yrs
$105K
In 5 yrs
$113K
In 10 yrs

Total Compensation β€” Financial Planner (CFP)

Beyond base salary: bonus, equity, and benefits

Total Comp Range
$149K–$226K
per year
Base (51%)Bonus (31%)Equity (6%)Benefits (11%)
Base Salary
Median market rate
$96,551
Annual Bonus
Typical: 20–100% of base
$57,931
Equity (annualised)
~13% of base β€” RSUs/options
$12,069
Benefits Value
~22% β€” healthcare, 401k, PTO
$21,241
Total Comp (mid)
$187,792

Sources: Levels.fyi TC data, LinkedIn Salary Insights, Robert Half 2025 Guide.

Typical Benefits for Financial Planner (CFP)s

Often adds 20–35% to your effective pay

Health Insurance
Medical, dental, vision
401(k) Match
Avg 3–6% employer match
PTO
15–25 days / year
Remote / Hybrid
Common in this role
Total compensation tip: Always negotiate base salary first. Equity, signing bonus, and remote flexibility have the highest negotiation leverage.

Compare Financial Planner (CFP) Salaries by City

How Melbourne, Australia stacks up against other major markets

CityMedianP75vs US avg
Melbourne, Australia (current)$96,551$131,645++5%
London, UK$91,880$125,277++0%
Toronto, Canada$89,239$121,676+-3%
Berlin, Germany$88,266$120,349+-4%
Sydney, Australia$101,501$138,395++10%
Amsterdam, Netherlands$103,601$141,258++13%
Singapore, Singapore$90,921$123,969+-1%

Official Salary Career GPSβ„’

What should I do next as a Financial Planner (CFP)?

O*NET Β· US Dept of Labor

Higher-paying roles in the same field

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Financial Planner (CFP) salary in Melbourne, Australia?

The median Financial Planner (CFP) salary in Melbourne, Australia is $97K per year (2026), based on BLS OEWS employer payroll data from 1.1 million employers. The top 25% earn $132K+ per year.

What is a good Financial Planner (CFP) salary in Melbourne, Australia?

The 75th percentile ($132K/yr) is the professional benchmark β€” what the top quarter already earns. It's a documented, negotiable target backed by BLS payroll data. Anything above the median ($97K) is above-average for this role in Melbourne, Australia.

How much does a Financial Planner (CFP) earn per hour in Melbourne, Australia?

Based on the median annual salary of $97K, a Financial Planner (CFP) in Melbourne, Australia earns approximately $46/hr (2,080-hour work year). The P75 rate is ~$63/hr.

Is Melbourne, Australia a good market for Financial Planner (CFP)s?

Melbourne, Australia pays 5% above the US national average for this role. Demand for Financial Planner (CFP)s is growing 15% annually, and AI automation risk is rated low for this occupation.

How do I negotiate a higher Financial Planner (CFP) salary in Melbourne, Australia?

Cite the BLS P75 figure ($132K) β€” it is verifiable public data from government payroll records. Request the full compensation package: base + equity/bonus + benefits. Timing matters: negotiate at the offer stage, not after acceptance. Counter with a specific number, not a range.

How Is This Salary Calculated?

Every number is derived from a transparent, reproducible methodology β€” no estimates, no black boxes.

Where does the salary data come from?

All US figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey β€” a mandatory biannual survey of 1.1 million US employers who report actual payroll data.

How is the Melbourne, Australia figure calculated?

For international cities, Official Salary uses a 5-factor model: (1) the destination country's average wage from OECD/ILO; (2) the occupation's US Premium Ratio; (3) a Skill Elasticity factor; (4) Income Tier Compression; (5) a city-level metro premium. Currency conversion uses ECB rates refreshed every 4 hours.

What do P10, P25, P50, P75, and P90 mean?

These are salary percentiles from employer payroll records. P50 (median) means 50% of workers earn less. P75 means 75% earn less β€” this is the recommended negotiation anchor. P10 and P90 represent the bottom 10% and top 10% respectively.

How is take-home pay estimated?

Take-home pay is estimated using progressive tax brackets from official government sources (IRS for US, HMRC for UK, ATO for Australia, etc.). Social contributions (National Insurance, FICA, etc.) are added. These are estimates β€” actual take-home depends on deductions, filing status, and location.

How often is data updated?

US BLS salary data refreshes every 24 hours via the BLS public API. OECD international wages refresh monthly. ECB currency rates refresh every 4 hours.

Full formulas and source citations on the methodology page.

Salary trend data not available for this occupation.

Education Premium β€” Financial Planner (CFP)

How degree level affects salary Β· ACS Census data

High School / GED
-32%
~$66K
Associate's Degree
-15%
~$82K
Bachelor's DegreeBASELINE
β€”
~$97K
Master's Degree
+30%
~$126K
Doctoral (PhD)
+22%
~$118K
Professional (MBA/JD/MD)
+52%
~$147K

Source: US Census Bureau ACS PUMS Β· BLS OES wage data.

Negotiation Deep-Dive

Get your data-backed negotiation opening ask and walking-away floor.

πŸ“ŠYour exact market percentile based on BLS distribution
🎯P75 target + 10% stretch as your opening ask price
πŸšͺWalking-away floor so you know when to move on
Melbourne benchmarks
$97K
Market median
$132K
P75 target
$174K
Top 10%

Negotiation Calculator

Enter your current salary to see your market position and opening ask

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Financial Planner (CFP) in Melbourne β€” Distribution
P10
$54K
P25
$71K
P50
$97K
P75
$132K
P90
$174K
Enter your salary above to see your negotiation position

Data Source & Attribution

Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (1.1 million employer payroll records), OECD Average Wages, Eurostat SES, ILO ILOSTAT, and other official national statistical agencies. Data is updated via ISR and reflects the most recent release cycle.

BLS.OEWS.2026.v2

Jun 19, 2026

Full methodology β†’
Check If You're Underpaid β†’
Financial Planner (CFP) Salary in Melbourne, Australia (2026) β€” $97K/yr | Official Salary | Official Salary