IBD Elite 2021: An industry the size of many countries

IBD Elite 2021

The independent broker-dealer industry’s massive growth slowed considerably in 2020 amid the impact of the coronavirus on the U.S. economy.

While the 10 largest firms didn’t sustain the steep declines among industries structured around live events or in-person services, their combined annual revenues ticked up by only 1.5% from the prior year to $25.01 billion, according to Financial Planning’s 36th annual IBD Elite survey. They maintained roughly the same level of business in 2020, compared to the double-digit hikes of the past three years and the huge 25.9% expansion the 10 firms raked in for 2019.

The topline findings are among the interesting data takeaways from the annual study, which also reflected the industry’s major shift over the past two decades when fees outpaced commissions for the first time in 2017. The breadth of data enables advisors, professionals, clients and industry observers to track which firms are leading that ongoing change. It includes a variety of other metrics, such as which IBDs have the highest share of women among their advisors and what countries’ GDP compares to the industry’s annual business.

To see a collection of the data from this year’s survey, including six lists of the top 10 firms for various indicators, scroll down our slideshow.

Plus, find two feature stories from the 2021 IBD Elite: “LPL's hybrid RIA power play” and “Asian American advisors see unmet potential for industry amid success.” Finally, for a printable listing of the 46 firms ranked by their annual revenues, click here. An interactive version of all of the data is available here.

Note: All figures refer to year-end results for 2020, and FP relies on companies to voluntarily disclose the data about their businesses without means of verifying it in most cases. After providing the required data about annual revenue for the survey, some firms didn’t disclose other metrics requested by FP.

IBD Elite Top 10: Commissions, fee and total revenue, 2007-2020

The combined annual revenue generated by the 10 largest firms in the industry has grown by 252% in the past 13 years.
combined annual revenue of 10 largest IBDs.jpg

IBD Elite Top 10: Percentage change from year to year, 2007-2020

The 10 largest firms’ annual revenue increased by the smallest amount in 2020 since there was a slight decline during implementation of the Obama administration’s now-vacated fiduciary rule in 2016.
% change from year to year of 10 largest IBDs.jpg

IBD Elite by the numbers


  • 10 out of 46 firms in the IBD Elite had lower revenue from the prior year in 2020
  • Unchanged from 2019, the following group of nine IBD Elite firms had more than $1 billion in revenue last year: LPL Financial, Ameriprise, Advisor Group, Raymond James, Cetera, Commonwealth, Northwestern Mutual, MassMutual, Cambridge 
  • The median annual revenue among the 46 firms in 2020 was $154 million, and the median growth for the past year was 4.5%
  • The IBD Elite listed 94,439 producing representatives, in line with most industry estimates placing the sector at about a third of the headcount across wealth management
  • The IBD Elite have 10,321 CFPs in their ranks
  • Only one firm had less fee-based revenue than the prior year in 2020, while 21 IBD Elite firms had lower commissions last year

6 out of 46 firms in the IBD Elite listed female chief executives


  • Amy Webber, Cambridge Investment Research
  • Evamarie Schoenborn, Northwestern Mutual Investment Services
  • Marianne Caswell, Park Avenue Securities
  • Michelle Barry, Grove Point Financial
  • Bridget McNamara-Fenesy, M Holdings Securities
  • Gail Murdoch, Veritas Independent Partners

Comparing annual independent broker-dealer revenue to World Bank statistics of countries’ 2020 gross domestic product


  • Bolivia: $36.69 billion
  • Paraguay: $35.30 billion
  • Nepal: $33.66 billion
  • Latvia: $33.51 billion
  • Lebanon: $33.38 billion
  • Financial Planning’s IBD Elite: $31.26 billion
  • Estonia: $31.03 billion
  • Sudan: $26.11 billion
  • Libya: $25.42 billion
  • Cambodia: $25.30 billion
  • Senegal: $24.91 billion

Comparing annual independent broker-dealer revenue to that of other sectors and companies


  • U.S. cosmetic and beauty industry 2019 sales: $49.20 billion
  • Las Vegas tourism direct visitor 2019 spending: $36.90 billion
  • Financial Planning’s IBD Elite $31.26 billion
  • McDonald’s 2020 sales: $19.21 billion
  • National Football League 2019 revenue: $15.26 billion

Ranking firms by their client assets

Top 10 total account assets.jpg

Ranking firms by the gender demographics of their advisor ranks

Top 10 female reps.jpg

Ranking firms by the growth of their advisor ranks

Top 10 highest growth in producing reps.jpg

Ranking firms by share of revenue attributable to advisory fees

Top 10 fee-based mix.jpg

Ranking firms by the growth of their average payout to reps

Top 10 in highest payout growth

Ranking firms by the growth of their annual revenue

Top 10 Revenue growth.jpg
MORE FROM FINANCIAL PLANNING