How to become a budget adviser
Official title: Budget adviser
Also called: Personal budget adviser, Budget coach, Financial mentor, Financial accounting plan officer, Finance adviser, Senior adviser budget
Budget advisers tell individuals or organisations how to apply for credit and manage debt. They may develop plans and budgets, or provide mortgage, bankruptcy or financial aid advice.
Main tasks
- Develop financial plans with clients
- Assess the finances of clients
- Help clients to manage debts
- Teach clients about budgeting
- Interview clients about finances
- Give advice about mortgage repayments
- Calculate debt repayments
- Prepare financial documents
How to become one
You usually need training and experience to become a budget adviser and a qualification may be useful. You usually need NCEA Level 3 to do the study or training for this job. Other requirements: to complete a relevant training course; experience in similar work; a relevant tertiary qualification in banking and finance, accounting, business and management or similar area.
Ways in
- Certificates and diplomas: Advanced certificates and diplomas in accounting. TEC links this job to study in accountancy. Qualifications: Dip in Commerce, NZ Dip in Business, Cert in Business Studies, Pathway Cert for MPA Entry. Usually 1 year. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $53,000 a year one year after study and $60,000 five years after; 54% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).; Advanced certificates and diplomas in banking and finance. TEC links this job to study in banking and finance. Qualifications: NZ Cert in Financial Services, Cert in Financial Advice. Usually 6 to 11 months. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $75,000 a year one year after study; 81% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).; Advanced certificates and diplomas in management and business studies. TEC links this job to study in business and management. Qualifications: NZ Dip in Business, Dip in Business Studies, Cert in Business Studies, Dip in Business, Dip in Commerce. Usually 1 year. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $52,000 a year one year after study and $61,000 five years after; 61% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).
Pay
- Most common pay: $71,667 to $119,159 a year (median $82,215), a TEC estimate before tax.
- Lower: $61,118 a year · Upper: $156,102 a year
- TEC's pay figures are estimates only. TEC says they must not be used to set pay, in pay negotiations or in visa applications.
Related jobs
- Payroll manager
- Payroll consultant
- Accountant and auditor
- Finance analyst
- Credit analyst
- Investment analyst
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Questions people ask
How do I become a budget adviser?
You usually need training and experience to become a budget adviser and a qualification may be useful. You usually need NCEA Level 3 to do the study or training for this job. Other requirements: to complete a relevant training course; experience in similar work; a relevant tertiary qualification in banking and finance, accounting, business and management or similar area.
How much does a budget adviser earn in New Zealand?
The Tertiary Education Commission estimates median pay at $82,215 a year, before tax. Most common pay is $71,667 to $119,159 a year.
Sources
- Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatu Career Navigator): Tahatu career ideas: descriptions, tasks, pay estimates, people employed, employment change 2018 to 2023, entry requirements, registration, interest scores (Site scrape 2026-10 (816 career ideas, sitemap lastmod 2026-10-01)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
This content is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahatu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. All or some of the information has been modified by Peernovo. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this content.
Qualification information from NZQA, used under CC BY 3.0 NZ.
This work is based on/includes Stats NZ's data which are licensed by Stats NZ for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Census data via Figure.NZ.
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Sources: Tertiary Education Commission, Tahatū Career Navigator (career ideas, pay estimates, entry requirements and study options, CC BY 4.0, modified by Peernovo); Stats NZ, 2023 Census (via Figure.NZ) and the National Occupation List (CC BY 4.0); NZQA qualification information (CC BY 3.0 NZ); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Links between career ideas and ANZSCO groups, degree fields and broad job groups are Peernovo's.
These results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Graduate outcomes: these results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Updated 4 October 2026