The south-east, Cambridgeshire and the north-west of England are strong contenders for the highest average salaries for financial advisers.
According to research from Orton Financial, carried out on behalf of FT Adviser, Crawley in the south-east is the highest-paying location for financial advisers in the UK, with an average salary of £92,058.
This was nearly double the UK average of £48,950 (as of July 2025).
The data, based on more than 2,300 reported salaries on Indeed, across more than 100 UK cities outside of London, showed a significant regional disparity in earnings for advisers, especially when comparing the top and bottom of the list.
Joining Crawley in the top 10 were several cities and towns within commuting distance of London, suggesting proximity to financial hubs and affluent client bases may influence pay.
Top 10 cities/towns for average adviser pay
Town/City
Salary (£)
County
Region
Crawley92058West SussexSouth EastSlough87705BerkshireSouth EastCambridge84990CambridgeshireEast of EnglandWatford77981HertfordshireEast of EnglandBlackburn77050LancashireNorth WestWorthing76223West SussexSouth EastWarrington71948CheshireNorth WestPortsmouth68244HampshireSouth EastSwansea67797Swansea (County/City and County of Swansea)WalesEdinburgh67473City of EdinburghScotland
Source: Indeed/Orton Financial/FT Adviser
On the opposite end of the scale, towns such as Newcastle-under-Lyme (£38,472), Stockton-on-Tees (£39,189), and Swindon (£39,401) reported the lowest average salaries.
Yorkshire & The Humber did not feature in either the top 10 or the bottom 10, according to the data.
It should be noted that while some regional variation is expected due to cost of living and client demographics, the large gap between the top and bottom cities could point to the importance of geography in shaping earnings potential within the industry.
Bottom 10 cities/towns for average annual pay
Rossendale
40490
Lancashire
North West
Wolverhampton40160West MidlandsWest MidlandsHigh Peak40129DerbyshireEast MidlandsLondonderry39918County LondonderryNorthern IrelandMendip39782SomersetSouth WestSolihull39623West MidlandsWest MidlandsSwindon39401WiltshireSouth WestEllesmere Port39321CheshireNorth WestStockton-on-Tees39189County Durham / North Yorkshire (unitary authority spans both)North EastNewcastle-under-Lyme38472StaffordshireWest Midlands
Source: Indeed/Orton Financial/FT Adviser
However, Luther Yeates, head of mortgages at Orton Financial, said there was obviously more to salary when it came to choosing the best place to practice as a financial advice professional.
He said “Advisers shouldn’t base their career decisions on salary alone. Of course, salary is a great motivator, especially with the cost-of-living pressures many are feeling.
“But it shouldn’t be the only factor when deciding where to work.”
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Indeed, earlier research by FT Adviser found that based on six metrics, including quality of life, cost of living and house price growth, the North came out strongly as a good area in which financial advisers can operate.
Yeates added: “Firms need to offer more than just money.
“Flexibility, ongoing training, mental health support and clear progression routes are just as important.
“After all, financial advice is a people-first industry, and happy, well-supported advisers are ultimately the most effective.”
simoney.kyriakou@ft.com