2025 RIA Benchmarking Study
The RIA Benchmarking Study provides information on topics such as asset and revenue growth, sources of new clients, products and pricing, staffing, compensation, marketing, technology, and financial performance.
Key findings
- RIA firms of all sizes saw significant growth in 2024. Across the study, AUM increased 16.6%, revenue was up by 17.6%, and client growth was up 4.8% in 2024.
- Organic growth – which excludes market performance – was an integral part of the gains seen last year as firms continued to attract investors and win more assets from existing clients. For Top Performing Firms, organic growth contributed 12.5% to overall asset growth.
- Firms are signaling capacity constraints with growing importance of technology and operational improvements. The emergence and growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) provides opportunities to unlock efficiencies, innovation, and growth. 68% of firms report using AI in some way.
- 78% of firms reported hiring in 2024, with recruiting staff ranking as the second-highest strategic priority for firms.
About the survey
Fielded from January to March 2025, the study contains self-reported data from 1,288 firms that custody their assets with Schwab and represents over $2.4 trillion in assets under management, making this the leading study in the RIA industry. Schwab did not independently verify or validate the self-reported information.
Media Contact: Kristin Meza
More RIA Benchmarking Studies
Advisors
Advisors
Advisors
Discover related stories
Industry
What’s next for the fiduciary advice model?
Industry
Invested Together: Reflections on IMPACT 2024
Industry
Incoming Schwab CEO sees room to expand advisor business
Schwab designed the RIA Benchmarking Study to capture insights in the RIA industry based on survey responses from individual firms. The 2025 study provides information on topics such as asset and revenue growth, sources of new clients, products and pricing, staffing, compensation, marketing, technology, and financial performance. Fielded from January to March 2025, the study contains self-reported data from 1,288 firms that custody their assets with Schwab and represents over $2.4 trillion in assets under management, making this the leading study in the RIA industry. Schwab did not independently verify or validate the self-reported information. Participant firms represent various sizes and business models. The study is part of Schwab Business Consulting and Education, a practice management offering for RIAs. Grounded in the best practices of leading independent advisory firms, Business Consulting and Education provides insight, guidance, tools, and resources to help RIAs strategically manage and grow their firms.
Past performance is not an indicator of future results.