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The differences between sales traders and traders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a sales trader has an average salary of $108,427, which is higher than the $90,179 average annual salary of a trader.
The top three skills for a sales trader include equities, derivative and institutional clients. The most important skills for a trader are portfolio, financial markets, and derivative.
| Sales Trader | Trader | |
| Yearly salary | $108,427 | $90,179 |
| Hourly rate | $52.13 | $43.36 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 19,736 | 17,351 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 85% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
A sales trader is responsible for evaluating and monitoring the stock market performance to advise the clients on which financial instruments are best to buy or sell. Sales traders review the clients' account portfolios and determine their risk appetite to choose the best investment options for their financial goals and objectives. They also research stock prediction and conduct statistical analysis to maintain consistent cash flow for the accounts. A sales trader must have excellent communication and analytical skills, especially in generating financial and investment reports for clients' discussion and reference.
A trader is responsible for buying and selling financial instruments for a firm or an individual, monitoring stock movements, and analyzing price fluctuations. Traders focus on short-term and long-term trades, depending on their customers' demands and best interests. In some cases, traders also act as financial advisors to their clients, providing financial management support, and handling their account investments. A trader must have excellent knowledge of the financial industry and must be highly-analytical, dealing with consistent changes in the stock market and maintain smart decisions to achieve their clients' financial goals.
Sales traders and traders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sales Trader | Trader | |
| Average salary | $108,427 | $90,179 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $185,000 | Between $56,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | White Plains, NY |
| Highest paying state | New York | New York |
| Best paying company | Merrill Lynch | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a sales trader and a trader in terms of educational background:
| Sales Trader | Trader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 85% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Finance | Finance |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between sales traders' and traders' demographics:
| Sales Trader | Trader | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.4% Female, 17.6% | Male, 82.1% Female, 17.9% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 Percentage | 6% | 6% |