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.
Featured schools near , edit
The Daily Work of Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents Take On?
Typical responsibilities of 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.
What Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents Need to Know
Effective securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents Jobs
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
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 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.
Salary for Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
| 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.
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 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| 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 |
Top Industries Employing Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
The bulk of 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:
Software Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents Use
- 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
The work environment for securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents reflects 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
Entry-level securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
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)
Degree Programs
Future securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents often complete programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
3 programs across 2 majors
About the Data
This profile draws on 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).
BusinessDegreeCentral.com provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© BusinessDegreeCentral.com – All Rights Reserved.