The Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation represents a standard of competency and ethical conduct for financial planning professionals in the United States. Individuals earning this mark demonstrate expertise across a broad range of personal finance topics, including insurance, investments, and estate planning. Understanding the total number of professionals holding this designation provides perspective on the size and reach of this segment of the financial services industry.
The Current Count of CFP Professionals in the US
The total number of professionals holding the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification has recently reached a significant milestone. As of December 31, 2024, the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., reported 103,093 CFP professionals practicing in the United States. This figure represents an all-time high, confirming a 4.3% growth rate for 2024 and continuing a steady upward trend. This growth underscores the increasing recognition and demand for the designation among both financial firms and consumers seeking comprehensive, ethical advice. As of October 2025, the number of professionals has further increased to 106,121, indicating sustained momentum in the field.
Understanding the CFP Certification Requirements
The rigor of the certification process is summarized by the “Four Es”: Education, Examination, Experience, and Ethics.
Education
Candidates must complete a college-level curriculum in financial planning, typically an approved course of study covering areas like tax planning, insurance, and retirement. This requirement culminates in a capstone course focused on financial plan development.
Examination
Candidates must pass the comprehensive CFP Certification Examination, which tests their ability to apply integrated financial planning knowledge to real-world client situations. This computer-based exam ensures candidates possess the necessary technical proficiency.
Experience
Candidates must complete either 6,000 hours of professional experience in the financial planning process or 4,000 hours in an apprenticeship under the supervision of a CFP professional.
Ethics
Certificants must adhere to the CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct, which includes the requirement to act as a fiduciary when providing financial advice. This fiduciary duty requires professionals to put their clients’ interests ahead of their own at all times.
Historical Growth and Demographic Trends
The CFP profession has shown consistent expansion over the last decade, reaching new highs year after year. The 4.3% growth rate observed in 2024 demonstrates the mark’s rising prominence. This expansion is supported by a significant influx of younger professionals, with 57% of new certificants in 2024 being under the age of 35.
This trend has resulted in a younger workforce, with 55.6% of all CFP professionals now under the age of 50. Efforts to improve demographic representation have also yielded results. The number of racially and ethnically diverse professionals surpassed 10,000 for the first time in 2024, reaching 9.9% of all certificants, a growth rate nearly double the overall increase.
Despite these strides, gender representation still shows a gap, as women accounted for 23.8% of all CFP professionals in 2024. While the total number of female certificants has increased, their proportional representation has remained relatively constant. The continued focus on attracting talent from all backgrounds suggests an effort to build a profession that better reflects the communities it serves.
Comparing CFP Professionals to the Broader Financial Industry
The population of CFP professionals is small relative to the total number of individuals working in the broader financial advice landscape. For context, the total number of registered individuals in the securities industry in 2023 was reported at 713,576, according to regulatory data. This figure includes broker-dealer representatives, Investment Adviser Representatives (IARs) who are dually registered, and IAR-only professionals.
The number of FINRA-registered representatives, who primarily operate under a suitability standard, totaled 628,392 in 2023. Compared to the 103,093 CFP professionals in the US, this disparity highlights the relative scarcity of the CFP mark. The number of CFP certificants is also modest compared to the estimated total of approximately 300,000 financial advisors in the US, which encompasses various roles and credentials.
The distinction is not only in quantity but also in regulatory structure. Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) firms, which operate under a fiduciary standard, numbered 15,870 in 2024. Many CFP professionals operate within these RIA firms or as dually registered individuals, but the CFP designation remains an optional certification that separates them from the overall pool of licensed advisors. The CFP mark represents a distinct, smaller, and highly credentialed subset of the overall industry population.
Implications of the CFP Count for Consumers and the Profession
The limited number of CFP professionals has direct implications for both consumers and the future of the profession. While the profession is substantial with over 100,000 certificants, it is a small fraction of the total number of financial advisors in the country. This scarcity creates a supply and demand dynamic that can affect the accessibility of comprehensive, fiduciary advice.
For consumers, the limited count means that finding a CFP professional may require more effort, especially in less densely populated geographic areas. The rising demand for financial planning services, fueled by an aging population and increasing financial complexity, suggests a need for an even larger pool of qualified advisors. The consistent growth and high demand for the CFP mark indicate a robust and expanding career path for individuals considering the profession.