Personal Financial Planning Program

Our Personal Financial Planning program has been approved by the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Board of Standards and fulfills the Education requirements for the CFP Certification Exam. Students who successfully complete our program will receive a Certificate of Completion and will be eligible to take the CFP examination that leads to the CFP designation.

Our CFP program is designed for individuals who want to become financial planners. The online program can be completed within a 12-month period. All courses are 100% online and asynchronous. As a financial planner, you can pursue careers in investment advising roles (e.g., financial analyst, investment manager, and portfolio manager) or other financial services.  Financial advisors are mostly employed by the securities, commodities, funds, trusts, wealth management firms, family offices, and other financial investments firms. Our CFP program faculty members are qualified instructors with CFP®, CPWA®, CFA, CPA, EA, MS, PhD and/or extensive industry and teaching experience.

Please note that a bachelor's degree in any discipline is required to take the exam. Learn more on the process. 

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Courses

Our Personal Financial Planning program is 100% online. All courses are asynchronous, and course materials are available online for each student without scheduled meetings. Students are required to complete six CFP certification courses (18 credit hours) to take the CFP exam.

Personal Financial Planning Courses

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This platform provides free access to University of Nevada, Reno students. For students unaffiliated with the University, the cost is only $5.54 per year.

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Tuition

This program’s tuition is $5,400 ($900/per course) for our curriculum of six 3-credit courses. The estimated tuition does not cover textbooks or course materials. Additional fees may apply.

Frequently asked questions

Wondering how the Personal Financial Planning Program works, what courses are included, or how it prepares you for the CFP exam? Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Frequently asked questions

Career paths

Financial planning is growing as a profession with a wide range of career opportunities. Personal financial advisors help their clients to plan their financial lives and reach their financial goals. Financial Advisor ranks in the top ten of best business jobs, and there are also many other career paths you can pursue in the financial planning field.

With financial planning skills, you can get a job in the financial sector (e.g., banking, wealth management) and other private sectors. You can move into the academia as a researcher or professor. You can focus on your independent ideas and start your own company. With so many available career paths, you will be able to choose the right fit for your future.

The average annual pay for personal financial advisors was $174,596 in 2023. The median income for a financial planner with 5 to 10 years of experience is $149K, 11-to-20-year experience is $239K, and with over 20 years of experience is $359K. Financial advisors are ranked #2 in Best Business jobs by U.S. News and World Report in 2025. Financial planning jobs are expected to grow faster than average, at a rate of 10% through 2034. Based on a 10-year projection, the estimated job growth in personal financial advisors is 17.1%. 

Common Job Roles

  • Investment Advising Roles
  • Financial Analyst
  • Investment Manager
  • Portfolio Manager
  • Roles in Financial Services
  • Associate Advisor
  • Personal Financial Planner
  • Wealth Management Advisor
  • Client Services Advisor

According to The U.S. Labor Department, financial planning jobs are expected to grow faster than average, at a rate of 13% through 2032. Furthermore, Financial Advisor was ranked #6 in Best Business jobs by U.S. News and World Report in 2023.

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