Staffing & Culture | 09.25.26

Advisor Compensation Climbs as Firm Growth Hits a Decade Low

by: Jennifer Lea Reed

Advisor compensation increased across roles in 2026, with service advisors seeing the largest gains as firms prioritized client-service capacity over growth. According to Ensemble Practice’s survey of 382 advisory firms, senior advisors’ total compensation rose 9.1% to $288,025, while service advisors’ increased 14.6% to $115,049. However, firms’ average organic growth slowed to 3.7% in 2025, the lowest in a decade, while operating margins averaged 38.6%. Firms added operations and administrative employees faster than advisors, contributing to a 28% decline in revenue per employee. Equity ownership remained concentrated among CEOs and senior advisors, while externally owned firms offered higher senior-advisor compensation but experienced greater turnover.

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