Manages trusts and estates for families at a bank or trust company, carrying out the terms of the trust and protecting beneficiaries' interests. BLS does not publish separate figures for personal financial advisors; it counts them within financial advisor (SOC 13-2052), whose median pay is $105,070 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 13-2052
- Business and Financial Operations
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Trust Officer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $105,070a year, or $50.51/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $50KTop 10% $357K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +1.4%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+1.4%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +1.4% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 17,100299,400 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025299.4K
- Projected 2035303.5K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 299.4K Projected 2035 303.5K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Certificate7.7%
- Bachelor's57.7%
- Post-bacc certificate23.1%
- Master's11.5%
Highest education held by personal financial advisors Segment Value Certificate 7.7% Bachelor's 57.7% Post-bacc certificate 23.1% Master's 11.5%
Also advertised as: Trust Administrator, Fiduciary Officer, Personal Trust Officer, Senior Trust Advisor, Estate Settlement Officer.
Pay
How much do Personal Financial Advisors make?
Every trust officer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$105,070
Middle half earn $72,440 to $176,790
- 10th
- $50,190
- 25th
- $72,440
- 75th
- $176,790
- 90th
- $357,020
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $50,190 |
| 25th | $72,440 |
| Median | $105,070 |
| 75th | $176,790 |
| 90th | $357,020 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $105,070
- Median hourly wage
- $50.51/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $156,670
- People employed
- 266,800
Versus all US occupations
At $105,070, Personal Financial Advisors earn 106% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $54,090 a year.
Versus business and financial operations occupations
Inside the Business and Financial Operations group, where the middle occupation pays $80,730, this is 30% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $357,020 or more while the bottom 10% earn $50,190, a gap of 7.1×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 79% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New York pays the most at $166,400, and still leads at $154,187 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Personal Financial Advisors the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New York | $166,400 | $154,187 | 21,550 |
| 2New Jersey | $158,570 | $145,738 | 9,300 |
| 3California | $130,330 | $117,711 | 32,200 |
| 4Connecticut | $129,720 | $125,200 | N/A |
| 5South Dakota | $128,720 | $145,305 | 620 |
| 6Massachusetts | $125,670 | $118,829 | N/A |
| 7Delaware | $125,050 | $125,291 | N/A |
| 8Oregon | $122,830 | $118,836 | 3,070 |
| 9Illinois | $120,130 | $120,180 | 9,760 |
| 10Wisconsin | $119,430 | $126,925 | 5,200 |
Job outlook
Is Trust Officer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +1.4% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Personal Financial Advisors | +1.4% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Personal Financial Advisors to change 1.4% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 4,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 17,100 openings are projected each year, 5.7% of the 299,400 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Trust Officer
A bachelor's degree in finance, business or a related field is common, and some trust officers have law degrees or paralegal backgrounds. Many start as trust assistants or administrators and move up with experience.
The Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor credential from the American Bankers Association is the main certification in the field and requires wealth management experience and passing an exam. ABA and Cannon Financial Institute trust schools provide training. Knowledge of estate and tax law, careful attention to detail, and good people skills are important.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as personal financial advisors.
- Bachelor's Degree57.7%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate23.1%
- Master's Degree11.5%
- Post-Secondary Certificate7.7%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 57.7% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 23.1% |
| Master's Degree | 11.5% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 7.7% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Trust Officer do?
Trust officers act as fiduciaries, legally responsible for managing assets for someone else. At banks and trust companies they administer trusts set up by families, settle estates after someone dies, and manage accounts for people who cannot manage their own finances.
The work involves interpreting trust documents, deciding on distributions to beneficiaries, coordinating investment management, paying bills and taxes, and keeping detailed records. Trust officers meet with beneficiaries, often during emotional times, and work closely with estate attorneys, accountants and investment managers. They must follow state trust law and the terms of each document exactly.
Day-to-day tasks
- Administer trusts according to their legal terms
- Review and approve distributions to beneficiaries
- Settle estates, including gathering assets and paying debts
- Coordinate investment management for trust assets
- Work with attorneys and accountants on tax filings
- Meet with beneficiaries to explain trust provisions
- Maintain detailed fiduciary records and reports
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Trust officers work in offices at banks, independent trust companies and law firms. Schedules are regular, with occasional client meetings outside business hours. The work involves detailed paperwork and sensitive conversations with families, sometimes in difficult circumstances.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.1
- Active Listening4.1
- Speaking4.0
- Writing3.9
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Mathematics3.6
- Active Learning3.3
- Monitoring3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.1 |
| Active Listening | 4.1 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Writing | 3.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 |
| Mathematics | 3.6 |
| Active Learning | 3.3 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness3.6
- Service Orientation3.6
- Complex Problem Solving3.6
- Judgment and Decision Making3.6
- Persuasion3.4
- Systems Analysis3.4
- Systems Evaluation3.4
- Coordination3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.6 |
| Service Orientation | 3.6 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.6 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.6 |
| Persuasion | 3.4 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.4 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.4 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Customer relationship management CRM software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Accounting software
- Analytical or scientific software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Trust Officer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code CSE) built on O*NET's Financial Advisor profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Trust Officer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 1 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 6 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Enterprising5.8
- Conventional5.7
- Social4.5
- Investigative3.3
- Artistic1.7
- Realistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Trust Officer
O*NET related occupations
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$78,660median a year
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More business and financial operations careers
Median annual pay, with personal financial advisors highlighted
- Financial Advisor$105,070
- Trust Officer$105,070
- Accountant$83,680
- Insurance Underwriter$81,370
- Coroner$80,730
- Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator$78,000
- Loan Officer$76,690
- Human Resources Specialist$75,940
- Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate$67,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Financial Advisor | $105,070 |
| Trust Officer | $105,070 |
| Accountant | $83,680 |
| Insurance Underwriter | $81,370 |
| Coroner | $80,730 |
| Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator | $78,000 |
| Loan Officer | $76,690 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $75,940 |
| Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate | $67,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Trust Officer appears on
Questions
Trust Officer: frequently asked questions
How much do Personal Financial Advisors make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for personal financial advisors. It counts them within financial advisor, whose median pay is $105,070 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $72,440 and $176,790, and the top 10% earn $357,020 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Trust Officer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Personal Financial Advisors, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. BLS also lists long-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 57.7% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Trust Officer a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 1.4% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 17,100 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Trust Officer do?
Trust officers act as fiduciaries, legally responsible for managing assets for someone else. A typical task: administer trusts according to their legal terms. Employers most often ask for Customer relationship management CRM software, Data base user interface and query software, Development environment software.
Which states pay Personal Financial Advisors the most?
The highest state medians for Personal Financial Advisors are New York ($166,400), New Jersey ($158,570), California ($130,330) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Trust Officer?
O*NET scores Personal Financial Advisors highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Social interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESFJ, ESTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.