Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents: Job Description
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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The Daily Work of Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents cover:
- 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.
What Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents Need to Know
Top securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills 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
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Account Administrator
- Account Manager
- Account Specialist
- Bank and Savings Securities Trader
- Banker
- Banker Associate
- Block Trader
- Bond Broker
Employment and Demand
There are about 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.
How Much Do Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents Make?
| 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 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay 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 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents shift depending on where you work. 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 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| 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
The bulk of securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents work in these industries:
| 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 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
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)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How to Become Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
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)
Where to Study
Future securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents typically earn programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
3 programs across 2 majors
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced 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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