Stifel had the highest satisfaction score among employee advisors, while Commonwealth took the top spot among independents, according to JD Power's latest rankings.
Each year, JD Power surveys advisors at both employee and independent firms to gauge their satisfaction in a variety of categories, including compensation; strong leadership and culture; operational support; products and marketing; professional development; and technology.
Firms move up and down from year to year, but the lists can provide a guide to what advisors might experience if they join one of these firms. The ranking is based on responses from 4,072 advisers and was made from January to May 2024.
This year, JD Power found just that satisfaction among employee advisors increased 59 points between 2023 and 2024, while satisfaction among independent advisers fell by 15 points. This is a break from the norm, as independent advisors have historically been more satisfied than their employee counterparts.
Click to see how both employee and independent firms ranked this year.