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Proprietary trader vs futures trader

The differences between proprietary traders and futures traders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a futures trader has an average salary of $109,622, which is higher than the $100,019 average annual salary of a proprietary trader.

The top three skills for a proprietary trader include technical analysis, equity markets and equities. The most important skills for a futures trader are technical analysis, futures markets, and financial markets.

Proprietary trader vs futures trader overview

Proprietary TraderFutures Trader
Yearly salary$100,019$109,622
Hourly rate$48.09$52.70
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs54110,795
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 81%Bachelor's Degree, 81%
Average age4343
Years of experience--

Proprietary trader vs futures trader salary

Proprietary traders and futures traders have different pay scales, as shown below.

Proprietary TraderFutures Trader
Average salary$100,019$109,622
Salary rangeBetween $60,000 And $165,000Between $64,000 And $186,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYNew York, NY
Highest paying stateNew YorkNew York
Best paying companyD. E. Shaw groupThe Citadel
Best paying industryFinanceFinance

Differences between proprietary trader and futures trader education

There are a few differences between a proprietary trader and a futures trader in terms of educational background:

Proprietary TraderFutures Trader
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 81%Bachelor's Degree, 81%
Most common majorFinanceFinance
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Proprietary trader vs futures trader demographics

Here are the differences between proprietary traders' and futures traders' demographics:

Proprietary TraderFutures Trader
Average age4343
Gender ratioMale, 95.7% Female, 4.3%Male, 94.1% Female, 5.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 12.5% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 12.4% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between proprietary trader and futures trader duties and responsibilities

Proprietary trader example responsibilities.

  • Manage business, sales, marketing, international negotiation and communication for a commodities business.
  • Perform qualitative research on potential risk arbitrage positions and subjectively choose equities for inclusion in a risk arbitrage portfolio.
  • Research market strategies and trends using Bloomberg.
  • Develop quantitative driven proprietary models by Bloomberg BLP / API and VBA programming.
  • Research and develop convertible bond pricing application for convertible arbitrage trades.
  • Assess market conditions within the equities market in order to maximize profitability.
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Futures trader example responsibilities.

  • Coordinate MBS and whole loan delivers to ensure settlements are achieve to minimize extension and pair off fees.
  • Trade a variety of investment vehicles including commodity futures, FOREX, equities, options and energies.
  • Create and report the trends of both international and domestic economy and finance status, and the trends of commodities prices.
  • Implement complex excel spreadsheets for derivative trading strategies.
  • Operate a commodities trading business as an independent business enterprise.
  • Participate in constructing equity trading strategies utilizing one or more medium-to-high frequency statistical arbitrage models
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Proprietary trader vs futures trader skills

Common proprietary trader skills
  • Technical Analysis, 12%
  • Equity Markets, 10%
  • Equities, 9%
  • Financial Markets, 8%
  • Portfolio, 8%
  • Fundamental Analysis, 4%
Common futures trader skills
  • Technical Analysis, 8%
  • Futures Markets, 7%
  • Financial Markets, 7%
  • Derivative, 6%
  • Risk Management, 6%
  • Futures Contracts, 6%