Top 5 Benefits of Earning the AWMA® Designation

Learn how you can become an expert in working with high-net-worth individuals and improve your career with the AWMA® designation.

The AWMA® designation is recognized as the industry-benchmark for wealth management credentials and is endorsed by the top financial firms.

AWMA® designees receive credit for the completion of FP513 in our CFP® certification education program or receive credit for an elective in our MS Degree in Personal Financial Planning. This allows you to save both time and money while pursuing multiple credentials.

72% of professionals surveyed with specialized financial designations such as the AWMA® designation reported an increase in their client base after earning their most recent professional designation.

Financial planning professionals working in a financial planning role both the year before and year after receiving their most recent specialized professional designation such as the AWMA® designation reported an average 16% earnings increase in the year after earning that professional designation

For CFP® professionals who must complete continuing education requirements as part of certification renewal, program completion fulfills 28 hours of continuing education.

If you currently hold a professional designation from the College, completion of a new professional designation program fulfills 16 hours of continuing education as part of the renewal of your current designation. 

Learn to recognize and better serve the unique needs of high-net-worth clients. This benefits your clients while allowing you you to advance your own financial career.


"Because of my AWMA® designation, I am now working with higher-net-worth clients, which allows me to work with fewer individuals while substantially increasing my income. Because my clients feel that I offer more individual attention and a top-notch level of service, I’ve received an increase in quality referrals."

- Paul R.

72% Client Base Increase: Increase in client base is dependent on numerous factors other than, or in addition to, completion of the specialized financial designation including specific employment conditions and individual experience. The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company does not guarantee any increase in clients resulting directly from such designation. Results are the findings of a quantitative survey conducted by the College for Financial Planning between June 27 and August 7, 2023. For this survey, a sample of 951 2022 and 2023 graduates of the College for Financial Planning was interviewed online in English. The sample includes 300 graduates whose most recent professional designation earned was a specialized financial designation (AAMS®, ABFP®, ADPA®, APMA®, AWMA®, CRPC®, CRPS®, CSRIC®, FPQP®, SE-AWMA®, WMS); worked in a financial planning role both the year before and year after receiving their most recent professional designation; and answered this question.

16% Earnings Increase: Earnings increases are dependent on numerous factors other than, or in addition to, completion of the specialized financial designation including specific employment conditions and individual experience. The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company does not guarantee any earnings increase resulting directly from such designation. Results are the findings of a quantitative survey conducted by the College for Financial Planning between June 27 and August 7, 2023. For this survey, a sample of 951 2022 and 2023 graduates of the College for Financial Planning was interviewed online in English. This earnings increase was based on 366 graduates with a specialized financial designation (AAMS®, ABFP®, ADPA®, APMA®, AWMA®, CRPC®, CRPS®, CSRIC®, FPQP®, SE-AWMA®, WMS) who were employed in a financial planning role both the year before and year after receiving their most recent professional designation.