Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents: Career Profile
Buy and sell securities or commodities in investment and trading firms, or provide financial services to businesses and individuals. May advise customers about stocks, bonds, mutual funds, commodities, and market conditions.
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What Do Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents Take On?
The core tasks performed by securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents span:
- Make bids or offers to buy or sell securities.
- Monitor markets or positions.
- Agree on buying or selling prices at optimal levels for clients.
- Keep accurate records of transactions.
- Buy or sell stocks, bonds, commodity futures, foreign currencies, or other securities on behalf of investment dealers.
- Complete sales order tickets and submit for processing of client-requested transactions.
- Report all positions or trading results.
- Interview clients to determine clients' assets, liabilities, cash flow, insurance coverage, tax status, or financial objectives.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Account Administrator
- Account Manager
- Account Specialist
- Bank and Savings Securities Trader
- Banker
- Banker Associate
- Block Trader
- Bond Broker
How Many Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents Are There?
There are roughly 1,058,168 securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +9.2% over the projection horizon.
Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $49,944 |
| Hourly median | $24.01 |
| 10th percentile | $29,340 |
| 25th percentile | $39,642 |
| 75th percentile | $60,245 |
| 90th percentile | $70,547 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $167,040 |
| Connecticut | $130,990 |
| South Dakota | $96,960 |
| New Jersey | $96,470 |
| Massachusetts | $82,490 |
| Illinois | $82,130 |
| Vermont | $80,260 |
| Delaware | $79,800 |
| Minnesota | $79,640 |
| California | $79,140 |
| Rhode Island | $78,560 |
| Nebraska | $78,250 |
| Washington | $77,900 |
| Alaska | $76,320 |
| Idaho | $76,090 |
| North Carolina | $75,850 |
| Indiana | $74,810 |
| Texas | $74,250 |
| Kansas | $73,470 |
| Michigan | $73,310 |
| District of Columbia | $69,220 |
| Montana | $68,230 |
| Virginia | $66,960 |
| Pennsylvania | $66,460 |
| Colorado | $65,820 |
| Oklahoma | $64,870 |
| Wisconsin | $64,250 |
| Maryland | $64,130 |
| Utah | $63,480 |
| Oregon | $63,030 |
| Missouri | $62,870 |
| New Hampshire | $62,510 |
| Maine | $62,330 |
| Ohio | $62,150 |
| Georgia | $61,620 |
| Nevada | $61,480 |
| Arizona | $61,240 |
| Tennessee | $60,740 |
| Iowa | $60,600 |
| Florida | $60,430 |
| New Mexico | $59,130 |
| Kentucky | $57,850 |
| South Carolina | $57,320 |
| Alabama | $57,300 |
| Arkansas | $56,420 |
| Louisiana | $51,150 |
| Hawaii | $49,190 |
| West Virginia | $48,530 |
| Mississippi | $45,860 |
| Virgin Islands | $33,890 |
| Puerto Rico | $33,190 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Pay for securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $129,283 | 22.2% | 1.65 |
| New England | $92,345 | 5.1% | 1.14 |
| Far Western US | $76,872 | 15.1% | 0.92 |
| Great Lakes | $73,943 | 11.7% | 0.97 |
| Plains States | $70,895 | 4.7% | 0.72 |
| Southwest | $70,280 | 12.2% | 1.04 |
| Rocky Mountains | $65,818 | 3.7% | 1.10 |
| Southeast | $62,563 | 25.1% | 1.14 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $166,430 | 3,610 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $166,170 | 65,000 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | CT | $125,310 | 250 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | CT | $123,480 | 120 |
| Elmira, NY | NY | $110,290 | 40 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | SD | $106,500 | 220 |
| New Haven, CT | CT | $102,580 | 620 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $101,720 | 10,310 |
Industry Breakdown
Most securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Insurance | 447,410 | $77,550 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 13,360 | $99,970 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4,060 | $132,500 |
| Wholesale Trade | 2,070 | n/a |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,830 | $91,680 |
| Retail Trade | 1,660 | $107,360 |
| Information | 490 | $105,770 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 330 | $130,920 |
Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Object or component oriented development software: C++ (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Linux (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Document management software: Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Development environment software: Microsoft Visual Basic (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: Oracle Java (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
Getting Started in This Career
Typical securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Financial Managers (Supplemental)
- Investment Fund Managers (Primary-Short)
- Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products (Primary-Long)
- Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products (Supplemental)
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists (Supplemental)
- Credit Analysts (Primary-Long)
- Financial and Investment Analysts (Primary-Short)
- Personal Financial Advisors (Primary-Short)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents often complete programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
3 programs across 2 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 41-3031.00 (Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents).
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