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The differences between foreign exchange traders and hedge fund traders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a hedge fund trader has an average salary of $117,549, which is higher than the $115,133 average annual salary of a foreign exchange trader.
The top three skills for a foreign exchange trader include manage risk, equities and foreign exchange products. The most important skills for a hedge fund trader are hedge funds, macro, and derivative.
| Foreign Exchange Trader | Hedge Fund Trader | |
| Yearly salary | $115,133 | $117,549 |
| Hourly rate | $55.35 | $56.51 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 17,829 | 12,689 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 84% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
The foreign exchange market is volatile and influenced by numerous factors. A foreign exchange trader considers these factors and utilizes them in their favor. They typically take care to predict misvaluations of currencies accurately. They act on the conclusions reached from their analysis and either buy or sell assets in different markets. This position requires diligence and patience.
A Hedge Fund Trader specializes in developing investment strategies through market research and analysis. Although the extent of their duties depends on their company of employment, it typically includes managing and monitoring market portfolios, trading according to policies and regulations, reaching out to potential business partners through calls and correspondence, discussing terms, and keeping an eye on stock prices. A Hedge Fund Trader must maintain an active communication line with staff for an efficient and fruitful workflow.
Foreign exchange traders and hedge fund traders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Foreign Exchange Trader | Hedge Fund Trader | |
| Average salary | $115,133 | $117,549 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $199,000 | Between $68,000 And $201,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | - |
| Highest paying state | New York | - |
| Best paying company | Paul Hastings | - |
| Best paying industry | Finance | - |
There are a few differences between a foreign exchange trader and a hedge fund trader in terms of educational background:
| Foreign Exchange Trader | Hedge Fund Trader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 84% |
| Most common major | Business | Finance |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between foreign exchange traders' and hedge fund traders' demographics:
| Foreign Exchange Trader | Hedge Fund Trader | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.6% Female, 20.4% | Male, 65.8% Female, 34.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 12.3% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 12.2% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |