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The average salary for a proprietary trader in the United States is around $100,019 annually. This figure reflects the earnings of traders who use their own capital to trade financial instruments, often working for investment firms or hedge funds. Salaries can vary significantly based on location, experience, and specific financial products traded.
Proprietary traders typically earn between $60,000 and $150,000 depending on their experience and the firm's success. Entry-level positions might start lower, while seasoned traders with proven track records can command much higher salaries. Additionally, performance bonuses can substantially enhance overall compensation.
Geographically, proprietary traders in financial hubs such as New York City and San Francisco tend to earn more than those in other regions. Understanding the demand for traders in different locations can offer insights for job seekers looking to maximize their potential earnings.
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The average proprietary trader salary in New York, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average proprietary trader salary states are North Dakota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $126,249 | $60.70 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $124,464 | $59.84 |
| 3 | Nevada | $120,778 | $58.07 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $117,544 | $56.51 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $124,554 | $59.88 |
| 6 | Texas | $97,901 | $47.07 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $114,403 | $55.00 |
| 8 | Michigan | $100,980 | $48.55 |
| 9 | Ohio | $96,931 | $46.60 |
| 10 | Delaware | $118,538 | $56.99 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $102,501 | $49.28 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $97,030 | $46.65 |
| 13 | Oklahoma | $95,055 | $45.70 |
| 14 | Louisiana | $96,511 | $46.40 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $93,375 | $44.89 |
| 16 | Georgia | $93,386 | $44.90 |
| 17 | Utah | $90,677 | $43.59 |
| 18 | Vermont | $91,234 | $43.86 |
| 19 | Illinois | $88,784 | $42.68 |
| 20 | Missouri | $90,798 | $43.65 |
| 21 | Maine | $91,360 | $43.92 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $87,669 | $42.15 |
| 23 | South Carolina | $87,584 | $42.11 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $89,590 | $43.07 |
| 25 | Montana | $90,525 | $43.52 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $92,926 | $44.68 |
| 27 | California | $88,962 | $42.77 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $85,098 | $40.91 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $98,937 | $47.57 |
| 30 | Iowa | $81,218 | $39.05 |
| 31 | Maryland | $89,804 | $43.17 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $88,501 | $42.55 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $84,329 | $40.54 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $83,028 | $39.92 |
| 35 | Oregon | $84,899 | $40.82 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $82,930 | $39.87 |
| 37 | Alaska | $86,770 | $41.72 |
| 38 | Florida | $80,859 | $38.87 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $77,088 | $37.06 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $74,164 | $35.66 |
| 41 | Idaho | $77,861 | $37.43 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $81,392 | $39.13 |
| 43 | Arizona | $82,132 | $39.49 |
| 44 | Virginia | $80,844 | $38.87 |
| 45 | Kansas | $79,786 | $38.36 |
| 46 | Washington | $80,945 | $38.92 |
| 47 | Indiana | $69,268 | $33.30 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $71,141 | $34.20 |
| 49 | North Dakota | $76,629 | $36.84 |
| 50 | Colorado | $69,504 | $33.42 |
| 51 | Alabama | $65,604 | $31.54 |
The highest-paying cities for proprietary traders are New York, NY, North Las Vegas, NV, and Henderson, NV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $127,888 | $61.48 |
| 2 | North Las Vegas, NV | $120,962 | $58.15 |
| 3 | Henderson, NV | $120,536 | $57.95 |
| 4 | Houston, TX | $98,264 | $47.24 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $89,535 | $43.05 |
| 6 | Scottsdale, AZ | $82,389 | $39.61 |
| 7 | Juno Beach, FL | $81,646 | $39.25 |
A proprietary trader's salary ranges from $60,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $165,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $165,000 | $13,750 | $79 |
| 75th Percentile | $130,000 | $10,833 | $63 |
| Average | $100,019 | $8,335 | $48 |
| 25th Percentile | $76,000 | $6,333 | $37 |
| 10th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
The highest paying types of proprietary traders are hedge fund trader, energy derivatives trader, and day trader.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hedge Fund Trader | $117,549 | $9,796 | $56.51 | 12,689 |
| Foreign Exchange Trader | $115,133 | $9,594 | $55.35 | 17,829 |
| Trader | $90,179 | $7,515 | $43.36 | 17,351 |
| Options Trader | $110,139 | $9,178 | $52.95 | 1,433 |
| Forex Trader | $115,092 | $9,591 | $55.33 | 17,582 |
| Equity Trader | $101,759 | $8,480 | $48.92 | 17,507 |
Top companies hiring proprietary traders now:
Proprietary trader salaries at D. E. Shaw group and NextEra Energy are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average proprietary trader salary at companies like SG Americas Securities Holdings, LLC and T3 Trading Group are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D. E. Shaw group | $132,660 | $63.78 |
| 2 | Florida Power and Light | $114,972 | $55.27 |
| 3 | SG Americas Securities Holdings, LLC | $107,367 | $51.62 |
| 4 | T3 Trading Group | $106,237 | $51.08 |
| 5 | Black Diamond | $67,920 | $32.65 |
The average proprietary trader salary has fallen by $-11,257 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average proprietary trader earned $111,276 annually, but today, they earn $100,019 a year. That works out to a -4% change in pay for proprietary traders over the last decade.
Compare proprietary trader salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare proprietary trader salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $100,000 | $48.09 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | $96,200 | $46.23 | -3.0% |
| 2023 | $99,000 | $47.60 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $98,500 | $47.35 | -5.5% |
| 2021 | $104,000 | $49.97 | -6.3% |
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