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Registered representative vs agent

The differences between registered representatives and agents can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a registered representative has an average salary of $54,074, which is higher than the $37,864 average annual salary of an agent.

The top three skills for a registered representative include financial services, financial products and securities. The most important skills for an agent are insurance products, customer service, and life insurance.

Registered representative vs agent overview

Registered RepresentativeAgent
Yearly salary$54,074$37,864
Hourly rate$26.00$18.20
Growth rate10%6%
Number of jobs17,622184,325
Job satisfaction-2
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 80%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age4346
Years of experience6-

What does a registered representative do?

A registered representative's job involves researching market conditions, liaising with potential clients, implementing advertising campaigns, cultivating personal contacts, and creating investment plans. Their duties and responsibilities include soliciting business from potential clients and selling financial products and services to clients for investment purposes.

What does an agent do?

Agents are individuals who are employed by their clients to represent them in various dealings. Agents are usually employed by people in the show business industry, such as actors, writers, or directors. They meet people who are interested in dealing with their clients. They listen to the plans and vision for the project and assess if the project fits their clients' interests or public image. In the case of agents whose clients are actors, they send their clients to auditions upon review of the project details. Agents are also responsible for negotiating terms on behalf of their clients, such as salary, royalties, and set benefits, among others. They also inform the project leaders of their clients' demands on set. Agents are expected to be business-savvy and good negotiators.

Registered representative vs agent salary

Registered representatives and agents have different pay scales, as shown below.

Registered RepresentativeAgent
Average salary$54,074$37,864
Salary rangeBetween $33,000 And $88,000Between $19,000 And $72,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYNew York, NY
Highest paying stateNew YorkNew York
Best paying companyNew York Life InsuranceLatham & Watkins
Best paying industryFinance-

Differences between registered representative and agent education

There are a few differences between a registered representative and an agent in terms of educational background:

Registered RepresentativeAgent
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 80%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Registered representative vs agent demographics

Here are the differences between registered representatives' and agents' demographics:

Registered RepresentativeAgent
Average age4346
Gender ratioMale, 77.4% Female, 22.6%Male, 50.5% Female, 49.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 10.3% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 4.9% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage6%7%

Differences between registered representative and agent duties and responsibilities

Registered representative example responsibilities.

  • Manage variable and fix immediate and defer annuities for wealth accumulation.
  • Develop knowledge of complex financial instruments and successfully communicate strategies for utilizing various securities in achieving client financial objectives.
  • Manage and strengthen customer relationships through cross-selling and up-selling to maximize retention and income generation by contacting existing and prospective customers.
  • Intern at the NYSE with the M/S floor trader.
  • Provide due diligence for IPO of small cap.
  • Assist companies with development and sale of initial public offering (IPO).
  • Show more

Agent example responsibilities.

  • Schedule and meet individuals\groups for assign or self-generate leads, assist and enroll eligible individuals in suitable Medicare product.
  • Verify documentation and coding using CPT and ICD-9 correct coding standards.
  • Assist TANF customers with obtaining employment.
  • Direct compliance with all CPT and Medicare guidelines.
  • Train BDC representatives on phone skills and CRM use.
  • Bill appropriate ICD-9 codes to the correct insurance companies.
  • Show more

Registered representative vs agent skills

Common registered representative skills
  • Financial Services, 25%
  • Financial Products, 14%
  • Securities, 6%
  • Annuities, 4%
  • Long-Term Care, 4%
  • Health Insurance, 3%
Common agent skills
  • Insurance Products, 11%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Life Insurance, 8%
  • HR, 6%
  • Inbound Calls, 6%
  • Financial Services, 6%