Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,040 | $23.10 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $78,660 | $37.82 |
| Mean (average) | $109,150 | $52.48 |
| 90th percentile | $212,880 | $102.35 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 53 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $49,230 | $38,460 | $132,130 | 4,710 | 0.71 |
| Alaska | $76,360 | $50,570 | $281,730 | 260 | 0.25 |
| Arizona | $74,840 | $48,860 | $137,800 | 14,600 | 1.43 |
| Arkansas | $54,660 | $38,360 | $131,020 | 2,330 | 0.57 |
| California | $79,730 | $50,520 | $197,200 | 55,860 | 0.97 |
| Colorado | $67,010 | $46,930 | $171,880 | 12,360 | 1.37 |
| Connecticut | $98,560 | $51,310 | $283,730 | 5,730 | 1.07 |
| Delaware | $83,750 | $48,420 | $184,960 | 2,300 | 1.51 |
| District of Columbia | $72,010 | $51,830 | $215,070 | 1,500 | 0.68 |
| Florida | $62,770 | $47,750 | $160,760 | 42,600 | 1.36 |
| Georgia | $59,990 | $46,900 | $169,180 | 14,950 | 0.97 |
| Hawaii | $57,590 | $47,260 | $268,080 | 420 | 0.21 |
| Idaho | $64,620 | $48,520 | $148,010 | 1,690 | 0.63 |
| Illinois | $99,840 | $50,330 | $209,840 | 27,920 | 1.45 |
| Indiana | $68,290 | $46,370 | $176,240 | 6,460 | 0.64 |
| Iowa | $64,290 | $46,140 | $163,510 | 2,300 | 0.47 |
| Kansas | $75,810 | $46,650 | $136,150 | 2,310 | 0.51 |
| Kentucky | $59,110 | $45,640 | $127,820 | 5,340 | 0.85 |
| Louisiana | $48,040 | $36,800 | $173,680 | 4,130 | 0.68 |
| Maine | $59,970 | $49,100 | $177,170 | 690 | 0.34 |
| Maryland | $61,660 | $50,300 | $133,200 | 8,420 | 0.97 |
| Massachusetts | $100,310 | $50,540 | $219,190 | 14,510 | 1.27 |
| Michigan | $73,480 | $46,640 | $172,680 | 7,160 | 0.52 |
| Minnesota | $83,350 | $50,600 | $320,440 | 8,820 | 0.95 |
| Mississippi | $46,680 | $37,110 | $93,420 | 1,950 | 0.53 |
| Missouri | $78,500 | $47,620 | $194,070 | 8,770 | 0.95 |
| Montana | Data unavailable | 430 | 0.27 | ||
| Nebraska | $82,560 | $50,300 | $203,600 | 2,150 | 0.67 |
| Nevada | $61,490 | $50,070 | $126,960 | 3,140 | 0.64 |
| New Hampshire | $78,930 | $49,770 | $177,440 | 1,530 | 0.71 |
| New Jersey | $82,420 | $50,850 | $212,840 | 15,230 | 1.13 |
| New Mexico | $60,850 | $48,920 | $145,280 | 1,690 | 0.62 |
| New York | $168,340 | $59,960 | $329,460 | 55,630 | 1.82 |
| North Carolina | $74,040 | $46,660 | $178,630 | 21,890 | 1.41 |
| North Dakota | $63,670 | $45,510 | $234,590 | 740 | 0.54 |
| Ohio | $73,300 | $47,540 | $168,100 | 13,520 | 0.77 |
| Oklahoma | $76,080 | $37,680 | $220,130 | 2,310 | 0.43 |
| Oregon | $76,710 | $49,700 | $170,640 | 2,900 | 0.47 |
| Pennsylvania | $71,840 | $47,720 | $166,280 | 15,510 | 0.81 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,930 | $28,050 | $104,050 | 970 | 0.33 |
| Rhode Island | Data unavailable | 1,780 | 1.13 | ||
| South Carolina | $55,390 | $43,630 | $164,130 | 7,230 | 1 |
| South Dakota | $86,780 | $47,750 | $226,210 | 730 | 0.51 |
| Tennessee | $58,050 | $38,980 | $145,230 | 11,370 | 1.1 |
| Texas | $78,470 | $48,160 | $214,220 | 41,640 | 0.94 |
| Utah | $64,660 | $48,230 | $127,050 | 4,520 | 0.83 |
| Vermont | $88,280 | $54,370 | $201,350 | 240 | 0.26 |
| Virgin Islands | $35,160 | $31,170 | $75,240 | 80 | 0.75 |
| Virginia | $62,910 | $48,450 | $167,130 | 11,320 | 0.87 |
| Washington | $75,510 | $47,820 | $154,620 | 8,770 | 0.78 |
| West Virginia | $50,050 | $37,270 | $108,450 | 930 | 0.42 |
| Wisconsin | $74,010 | $48,600 | $157,770 | 5,980 | 0.65 |
| Wyoming | Data unavailable | 280 | 0.32 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 35,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 6%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Financial Planning and Services CIP 52.0804
- Investments and Securities CIP 52.0807
- Business and Personal/Financial Services Marketing Operations CIP 52.1908
Licenses and certifications
General Securities Representative Qualification Examination (Series 7)
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
Securities Industry Essentials Exam
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
Requirements for regulated professions are set by each state. Always confirm with the state regulator.
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- 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.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- C++ (hot technology)
- Linux (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Visual Basic (hot technology)
- Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Oracle Java (hot technology)
- Oracle PeopleSoft (hot technology)
- Python (hot technology)
- R (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Judgment and Decision Making, Persuasion, Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Service Orientation, Systems Analysis.
Common job titles: Broker, Commodities Broker, Equity Trader, Financial Advisor, Financial Consultant, Investment Representative, Investments Advisor, Investments Specialist, Personal Banker, Trader.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents make?
The national median annual wage for securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents was $78,660 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $48,040 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $212,880. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents a growing career?
BLS projects employment of securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents to change +1.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 35,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were New York ($168,340), Massachusetts ($100,310), Illinois ($99,840). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.