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RIA comparison · SEC Form ADV

Cresset Asset Management, LLC vs Private Advisor Group, LLC

Two independent wealth managers side by side: assets, clients, staff, services and fees, from each firm’s own filing.

The short answer

Cresset Asset Management, LLC is the larger of the two, with $79B in regulatory assets to $58B at Private Advisor Group, LLC, 37% more than its rival, by their latest Form ADV filings. Private Advisor Group, LLC reports more individual clients (166,623 vs 4,746), while Cresset Asset Management, LLC’s clients hold more on average (about $15 million each against $330,000). Cresset Asset Management, LLC is based in Chicago, Illinois and Private Advisor Group, LLC in Morristown, New Jersey.

FigureCresset Asset Management, LLCPrivate Advisor Group, LLC
Regulatory AUM$79B$58B
National rank#15#17
HeadquartersChicago, IllinoisMorristown, New Jersey
Individual clients4,746166,623
High-net-worth clients3,66727,742
Average client assets$15 million$330,000
Accounts32,894170,206
Discretionary98% of AUM100% of AUM
Employees496930
Advisory staff187885
Clients per advisory employee25188
Offices25570
Form ADV filed2026-08-132026-09-30

Cresset Asset Management, LLC

Full profile →

Services

  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management for individuals and small businesses
  • Portfolio management for pooled investment vehicles
  • Portfolio management for businesses and institutions
  • Pension consulting
  • Selecting other advisers
  • Educational seminars and workshops

How it’s paid

  • A percentage of assets under management
  • Fixed fees
  • Performance-based fees

Private Advisor Group, LLC

Full profile →

Services

  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management for individuals and small businesses
  • Portfolio management for businesses and institutions
  • Pension consulting
  • Selecting other advisers
  • Periodicals or newsletters
  • Educational seminars and workshops
  • Other services

How it’s paid

  • A percentage of assets under management
  • Hourly charges
  • Fixed fees
  • Other

Questions

Which is bigger, Cresset Asset Management, LLC or Private Advisor Group, LLC?

Cresset Asset Management, LLC, with $79B in regulatory assets under management against $58B at Private Advisor Group, LLC. Nationally they rank #15 and #17 among 5,657 independent wealth management RIAs.

How many clients do Cresset Asset Management, LLC and Private Advisor Group, LLC have?

Cresset Asset Management, LLC reports 4,746 individual clients (3,667 high-net-worth) with 187 advisory employees; Private Advisor Group, LLC reports 166,623 (27,742 high-net-worth) with 885 advisory employees.

How do Cresset Asset Management, LLC and Private Advisor Group, LLC charge clients?

Only Cresset Asset Management, LLC lists performance-based fees on Form ADV. Only Private Advisor Group, LLC lists hourly charges; other forms of compensation. Fee schedules and minimums are in each firm’s Form ADV Part 2A brochure.

What services do Cresset Asset Management, LLC and Private Advisor Group, LLC offer?

Cresset Asset Management, LLC lists portfolio management for pooled investment vehicles, which Private Advisor Group, LLC does not. Private Advisor Group, LLC lists periodicals or newsletters; other services, which Cresset Asset Management, LLC does not. Both offer financial planning; portfolio management for individuals and small businesses; portfolio management for businesses and institutions; pension consulting; selecting other advisers; educational seminars and workshops.

More comparisons

Where these numbers come from

Every figure is the firm’s own answer on its latest Form ADV, from the SEC’s registered-adviser list as of October 1, 2026: regulatory assets and accounts (Item 5.F), clients by type (5.D), employees (5.A and 5.B), compensation (5.E) and services (5.G). Average client assets divide the assets held for individual and high-net-worth clients by their number. Ranks compare each firm with all US-based independent wealth management RIAs, the same field as The Largest RIAs. Figures can lag recent deals and market moves.

Not an endorsement or a recommendation of either firm. Before hiring an adviser, read its Form ADV Part 2A brochure and check its record on the SEC’s adviser search: Cresset Asset Management, LLC ↗, Private Advisor Group, LLC ↗. How to check a financial advisor →