A newly released report by the CFP Board demonstrates strong growth in the number of people entering the financial planning profession during 2025.
The board said it was a “milestone year” with record numbers of new CFP® certificants and exam candidates. By the end of 2025, the number of CFP® professionals had reached an all-time high of 107,529, an increase of 4.3% over 2024 and nearly double the number of certificants since retiring CFP Board CEO Kevin R. Keller, CAE took the helm in 2007.
2025 also marked the largest number of exam candidates in CFP Board history, with 11,037 people sitting for the exam, a 5.7% increase over 2024.
“This unprecedented growth indicates that CFP® certification is more valuable than ever,” said Keller. “As record numbers of new CFP® professionals enter the field and as the financial planning profession continues to expand across academia, public policy and rapidly evolving technology, CFP® certification stands as the clear standard, one that firms actively prioritize and consumers increasingly expect.”
The report states that in 2025, CFP Board welcomed 6,709 new CFP® professionals, the most ever in a single year. Of these new certificants, 3,964 are under age 35, bringing the total share of all certificants under age 50 to 56.5%.
The 2025 class included the largest number of racially and ethnically diverse CFP® professionals in a single year. As a result, the total number of racially and ethnically diverse professionals rose to 11,195, representing 10.4% of all CFP® professionals and a growth rate of 9.3% from 2024 — more than twice the overall growth rate of all CFP® professionals.
In 2025, 1,694 women earned CFP® certification, a 4.3% increase that brought the total number of women CFP® professionals to a record high of 25,601, representing 23.8% of all CFP® professionals.
“A diverse workforce brings a wider range of perspectives that fuel innovation and supports the profession’s long term growth by attracting talent from all backgrounds,” the board said.
In the report, the CFP Board also detailed its effort to strengthen the talent pipeline into the financial planning industry, through student, job-seeker and academic engagement These efforts included the awarding of scholarships, career events with students, and partnerships with academic institutions. In addition, a broadcast campaign was conducted last fall to raise public awareness of the profession. This helped lead to 88% total awareness of CFP® certification among the target audience, up 1% over the 2024 five-year average.
Since 2011, CFP Board said it has invested over $185 million in raising consumer awareness of CFP® certification as the standard for financial planning. Last year the board also hosted its second annual Connections Conference in Chicago, bringing together over 900 people from across the entire financial advice ecosystem.
Hyman Cotter PC represents advisors, brokers and other financial professional in all matters involving the CFP Board, including CFP Board investigations. Headquartered in Chicago, our securities attorneys represent clients nationwide. For more information relating to CFP Board investigations and discipline or other matters, contact Hyman Cotter PC at (888) 959-9760 or through our online contact form for a free consultation
