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Securities / Financial Sales Agent

$78,140
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Buy and sell stocks, bonds, and other investments for clients, and advise them on building their portfolios.

Where you work

Brokerages and banks

The hours

Full-time, market hours plus more

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$78,140
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~38,100
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+3%
About average
Working in the U.S.
514,500
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's degree plus FINRA licenses.

License or certification

FINRA licenses such as the Series 7 and Series 63 are required.

What it takes

SalesMarket knowledgeCommunicationNumbers sense

The honest take

Commission-driven finance work with real earning power, but you must pass licensing exams before you can sell.

Standard Occupational Classification 41-3031. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.