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The average salary for a futures trader is approximately $109,622 per year. This figure reflects a combination of factors, including experience, location, and market conditions. Entry-level traders might start at lower salaries, while those with more experience or advanced credentials can earn significantly more.
States like New York, California, and Illinois often offer the highest salaries for futures traders due to the concentration of financial institutions and trading firms. Additionally, many traders find opportunities in major financial hubs, which tend to offer competitive pay and benefits.
The demand for skilled traders remains strong, especially with the rise of automated trading systems and advanced analytics. As more firms seek professionals who can navigate complex markets, futures trading presents a viable career path for those interested in finance.
In summary, the futures trading field offers promising salary prospects and career opportunities, making it an attractive option for finance professionals.
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The average futures trader salary in New York, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average futures trader salary states are North Dakota, Idaho, and Nebraska.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $136,983 | $65.86 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $131,141 | $63.05 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $129,955 | $62.48 |
| 4 | Nevada | $127,324 | $61.21 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $131,176 | $63.07 |
| 6 | Ohio | $107,685 | $51.77 |
| 7 | Texas | $107,983 | $51.91 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $124,324 | $59.77 |
| 9 | Delaware | $126,948 | $61.03 |
| 10 | Michigan | $111,058 | $53.39 |
| 11 | Tennessee | $100,218 | $48.18 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $107,958 | $51.90 |
| 13 | Georgia | $101,172 | $48.64 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $110,797 | $53.27 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $117,122 | $56.31 |
| 16 | Louisiana | $105,788 | $50.86 |
| 17 | Oklahoma | $104,210 | $50.10 |
| 18 | Utah | $96,692 | $46.49 |
| 19 | Missouri | $98,556 | $47.38 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | $98,168 | $47.20 |
| 21 | Illinois | $95,931 | $46.12 |
| 22 | Vermont | $96,928 | $46.60 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $96,628 | $46.46 |
| 24 | South Carolina | $95,442 | $45.89 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $98,929 | $47.56 |
| 26 | Maine | $97,337 | $46.80 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $91,938 | $44.20 |
| 28 | Iowa | $88,859 | $42.72 |
| 29 | Colorado | $94,279 | $45.33 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $94,247 | $45.31 |
| 31 | Montana | $95,631 | $45.98 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $92,119 | $44.29 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $91,875 | $44.17 |
| 34 | Florida | $89,167 | $42.87 |
| 35 | California | $89,442 | $43.00 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $89,440 | $43.00 |
| 37 | Oregon | $89,247 | $42.91 |
| 38 | Virginia | $89,832 | $43.19 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $95,593 | $45.96 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $80,144 | $38.53 |
| 41 | Arizona | $88,395 | $42.50 |
| 42 | Idaho | $82,580 | $39.70 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $88,974 | $42.78 |
| 44 | Maryland | $89,988 | $43.26 |
| 45 | Kansas | $86,376 | $41.53 |
| 46 | Indiana | $77,094 | $37.06 |
| 47 | Alaska | $87,859 | $42.24 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $79,439 | $38.19 |
| 49 | North Dakota | $83,804 | $40.29 |
| 50 | Washington | $85,262 | $40.99 |
| 51 | Alabama | $71,325 | $34.29 |
The highest-paying cities for futures traders are New York, NY, Jersey City, NJ, and Cleveland, OH.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $140,377 | $67.49 |
| 2 | Jersey City, NJ | $118,268 | $56.86 |
| 3 | Cleveland, OH | $114,090 | $54.85 |
| 4 | Watertown Town, MA | $98,242 | $47.23 |
| 5 | Norwood, MA | $98,228 | $47.23 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $96,963 | $46.62 |
| 7 | Denver, CO | $93,797 | $45.09 |
| 8 | Pasadena, CA | $88,425 | $42.51 |
| 9 | Omaha, NE | $80,220 | $38.57 |
| 10 | Huntsville, AL | $69,049 | $33.20 |
A futures trader's salary ranges from $64,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $186,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $186,000 | $15,500 | $89 |
| 75th Percentile | $145,000 | $12,083 | $70 |
| Average | $109,622 | $9,135 | $53 |
| 25th Percentile | $82,000 | $6,833 | $39 |
| 10th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
The highest paying types of futures traders are hedge fund trader, energy derivatives trader, and day trader.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commodity Trader | $93,220 | $7,768 | $44.82 | 10,906 |
| Foreign Exchange Trader | $115,133 | $9,594 | $55.35 | 17,829 |
| Hedge Fund Trader | $117,549 | $9,796 | $56.51 | 12,689 |
| Trader | $90,179 | $7,515 | $43.36 | 17,351 |
| Options Trader | $110,139 | $9,178 | $52.95 | 1,433 |
| Equity Trader | $101,759 | $8,480 | $48.92 | 17,507 |
Top companies hiring futures traders now:
Futures trader salaries at The Citadel and Citi are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average futures trader salary at companies like Federal Reserve and Federal Reserve Bank are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Citadel | $166,386 | $79.99 |
| 2 | Citi | $141,984 | $68.26 |
| 3 | Federal Reserve | $135,419 | $65.11 |
| 4 | Federal Reserve Bank | $134,172 | $64.51 |
| 5 | First Quadrant | $117,110 | $56.30 |
| 6 | Ronin | $115,879 | $55.71 |
| 7 | Tradelink LLC | $114,200 | $54.90 |
| 8 | GAN Integrity | $111,749 | $53.73 |
| 9 | Americorps | $108,240 | $52.04 |
| 10 | COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN MARYLAND | $72,913 | $35.05 |
The average futures trader salary has fallen by $-12,338 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average futures trader earned $121,960 annually, but today, they earn $109,622 a year. That works out to a -4% change in pay for futures traders over the last decade.
Compare futures trader salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare futures trader salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $110,000 | $52.70 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | $105,000 | $50.67 | -3.0% |
| 2023 | $109,000 | $52.17 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $108,000 | $51.90 | -5.5% |
| 2021 | $114,000 | $54.77 | -6.3% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belvedere Trading | Futures Relative Value (RV) Trader | New York, NY | 06/09/2025 | $150,000 |
| Wolverine Trading | Quantitative Trader-High Frequency Futures | Chicago, IL | 04/28/2025 | $150,000 |
| Belvedere Trading | Futures Relative Value (RV) Trader | New York, NY | 04/28/2025 | $150,000 |
| Belvedere Trading | Futures Relative Value (RV) Trader | New York, NY | 03/31/2025 | $150,000 |
| Optiverus | Experienced Futures Trader/Researcher | Chicago, IL | 03/26/2025 | $175,000 |
| Optiver | Experienced Futures Trader/Researcher | Chicago, IL | 03/14/2025 | $175,000 |
| Wolverine Trading | Quantitative Trader-High Frequency Futures | Chicago, IL | 02/18/2025 | $150,000 |
| Optiverus | Experienced Futures Trader/Researcher | Chicago, IL | 02/18/2025 | $175,000 |
| Tradelinkllc | Futures Trader | Chicago, IL | 02/16/2025 | $60,000 |
| Wolve | Quantitative Trader-High Frequency Futures | Chicago, IL | 02/16/2025 | $150,000 |
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