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The average salary for an Equity Trader stands at $101,759 annually. This figure can fluctuate based on geographic location, with top-paying states including New York, California, and Massachusetts. For instance, traders in New York City can expect salaries upwards of $120,000, reflecting the high cost of living and competitive market environment.
Experience plays a vital role in determining earnings. Entry-level traders may start at around $70,000, while seasoned professionals with specialized skills can earn well over $150,000.
As the finance sector evolves, opportunities for equity traders continue to expand. Keeping abreast of market trends and enhancing skills are essential for those looking to succeed in this dynamic field.
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The average equity trader salary in New York, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average equity trader salary states are North Dakota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $132,027 | $63.47 |
| 2 | Delaware | $120,296 | $57.83 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $114,416 | $55.01 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $125,705 | $60.44 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $98,631 | $47.42 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $116,309 | $55.92 |
| 7 | Nevada | $121,792 | $58.55 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $125,797 | $60.48 |
| 9 | Ohio | $98,652 | $47.43 |
| 10 | Texas | $99,660 | $47.91 |
| 11 | Louisiana | $98,346 | $47.28 |
| 12 | Michigan | $102,466 | $49.26 |
| 13 | Wyoming | $90,429 | $43.48 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $103,979 | $49.99 |
| 15 | Vermont | $92,148 | $44.30 |
| 16 | Maine | $92,464 | $44.45 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $94,399 | $45.38 |
| 18 | Georgia | $94,638 | $45.50 |
| 19 | Oklahoma | $96,543 | $46.41 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $99,527 | $47.85 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $94,253 | $45.31 |
| 22 | Illinois | $88,685 | $42.64 |
| 23 | Utah | $91,863 | $44.16 |
| 24 | South Carolina | $88,870 | $42.73 |
| 25 | Arkansas | $85,471 | $41.09 |
| 26 | Montana | $91,366 | $43.93 |
| 27 | Maryland | $91,327 | $43.91 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $84,531 | $40.64 |
| 29 | Missouri | $91,803 | $44.14 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $83,736 | $40.26 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $88,807 | $42.70 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $82,689 | $39.75 |
| 33 | Alaska | $87,221 | $41.93 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $89,711 | $43.13 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $86,413 | $41.54 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $74,871 | $36.00 |
| 37 | California | $89,731 | $43.14 |
| 38 | Iowa | $82,080 | $39.46 |
| 39 | Idaho | $78,589 | $37.78 |
| 40 | Florida | $82,150 | $39.50 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $78,082 | $37.54 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $77,377 | $37.20 |
| 43 | Arizona | $83,257 | $40.03 |
| 44 | Oregon | $85,815 | $41.26 |
| 45 | Virginia | $82,498 | $39.66 |
| 46 | Kansas | $80,673 | $38.79 |
| 47 | Alabama | $66,574 | $32.01 |
| 48 | Colorado | $70,246 | $33.77 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $72,131 | $34.68 |
| 50 | Washington | $81,757 | $39.31 |
| 51 | Indiana | $70,175 | $33.74 |
The highest-paying cities for equity traders are New York, NY, Stamford, CT, and Austin, TX.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $134,372 | $64.60 |
| 2 | Stamford, CT | $114,457 | $55.03 |
| 3 | Austin, TX | $100,835 | $48.48 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $94,608 | $45.48 |
| 5 | Jersey City, NJ | $94,533 | $45.45 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $94,528 | $45.45 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $89,368 | $42.97 |
| 8 | Miami, FL | $82,913 | $39.86 |
| 9 | Seattle, WA | $82,234 | $39.54 |
| 10 | Charlotte, NC | $81,949 | $39.40 |
An equity trader's salary ranges from $61,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $169,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $169,000 | $14,083 | $81 |
| 75th Percentile | $132,000 | $11,000 | $63 |
| Average | $101,759 | $8,480 | $49 |
| 25th Percentile | $77,000 | $6,417 | $37 |
| 10th Percentile | $61,000 | $5,083 | $29 |
The highest paying types of equity traders are hedge fund trader, energy derivatives trader, and day trader.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign Exchange Trader | $115,133 | $9,594 | $55.35 | 17,829 |
| Hedge Fund Trader | $117,549 | $9,796 | $56.51 | 12,689 |
| Forex Trader | $115,092 | $9,591 | $55.33 | 17,582 |
| Options Trader | $110,139 | $9,178 | $52.95 | 1,433 |
| Trader | $90,179 | $7,515 | $43.36 | 17,351 |
| Commodity Trader | $93,220 | $7,768 | $44.82 | 10,906 |
Top companies hiring equity traders now:
Equity trader salaries at Pacific Investment Management Company LLC and Citi are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average equity trader salary at companies like BNY Mellon and Mirae Asset Securities are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pacific Investment Management Company LLC | $143,871 | $69.17 |
| 2 | Citi | $133,103 | $63.99 |
| 3 | BNY Mellon | $132,550 | $63.73 |
| 4 | Mirae Asset Securities | $129,233 | $62.13 |
| 5 | Deutsche Bank | $124,156 | $59.69 |
| 6 | Capital Group | $122,819 | $59.05 |
| 7 | ING Financial Holdings Corporation | $122,218 | $58.76 |
| 8 | Acadian Asset Management | $120,608 | $57.98 |
| 9 | Natixis North America LLC | $119,127 | $57.27 |
| 10 | XP Securities | $118,749 | $57.09 |
| 11 | Northern Trust | $116,749 | $56.13 |
| 12 | ICAP | $115,849 | $55.70 |
| 13 | X-Change Financial Access | $115,501 | $55.53 |
| 14 | Jefferies | $114,827 | $55.21 |
| 15 | ARGONAUT GROUP INC | $113,231 | $54.44 |
| 16 | SG Americas Securities Holdings, LLC | $108,364 | $52.10 |
| 17 | Rbc Holding Co Ltd | $107,476 | $51.67 |
| 18 | Hold Brothers Capital | $106,930 | $51.41 |
| 19 | Seven Points Capital | $106,899 | $51.39 |
| 20 | Jacobs Levy Equity Management | $106,664 | $51.28 |
The average equity trader salary has fallen by $-11,454 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average equity trader earned $113,213 annually, but today, they earn $101,759 a year. That works out to a -4% change in pay for equity traders over the last decade.
Compare equity trader salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare equity trader salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $102,000 | $48.92 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | $97,800 | $47.03 | -3.0% |
| 2023 | $101,000 | $48.43 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $100,000 | $48.17 | -5.5% |
| 2021 | $106,000 | $50.84 | -6.3% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan Stanley | Corporate Derivatives-Equities Solutions Trader | New York, NY | 06/26/2025 | $200,000 |
| Santander Us | Cash Equity Markets Trader, Associate | New York, NY | 06/12/2025 | $131,250 |
| Santander Bank | Cash Equity Markets Trader, Associate | New York, NY | 06/11/2025 | $131,250 |
| DV Trading | Night Trader-DV Equities | New York, NY | 06/09/2025 | $150,000 |
| IMC Inc. | Quantitative Trader-Equity Options | Chicago, IL | 06/09/2025 | $175,000 |
| Strategas Securities | Equity Derivative Trader | Fine, NY | 05/22/2025 | $110,000 |
| Schonfeld Group | Junior Equities Trader | New York, NY | 05/10/2025 | $120,000 |
| Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC | Junior Equities Trader | New York, NY | 05/06/2025 | $120,000 |
| Gelber Group | Experienced Equity Discretionary Trader | Chicago, IL | 04/28/2025 | $72,000 |
| NTT Data North America | Equity Trader, Direct or Contract | New York, NY | 04/17/2025 | $114,785 |
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