Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
Also called: Broker, Equity Trader, Financial Advisor, Financial ConsultantBuy and sell securities or commodities in investment and trading firms, or provide financial services to businesses and individuals. May advise customers about stocks, bonds, mutual funds, commodities, and market conditions.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 22 of its 30 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 1.4% by 2035. In the most exposed occupations, the squeeze shows up first among early-career workers. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 3.4% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 4.3 hires for every 10 job openings in finance and insurance, which employs about 96% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.4.3 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $49,230 | $45,430 to $72,890 | 4,710 |
| Alaska | $76,360 | $59,260 to $101,180 | 260 |
| Arizona | $74,840 | $51,560 to $102,600 | 14,600 |
| Arkansas | $54,660 | $46,350 to $80,060 | 2,330 |
| California | $79,730 | $60,340 to $127,930 | 55,860 |
| Colorado | $67,010 | $58,790 to $104,440 | 12,360 |
| Connecticut | $98,560 | $61,470 to $174,180 | 5,730 |
| Delaware | $83,750 | $53,290 to $135,010 | 2,300 |
| District of Columbia | $72,010 | $58,000 to $131,170 | 1,500 |
| Florida | $62,770 | $50,740 to $101,100 | 42,600 |
| Georgia | $59,990 | $50,170 to $98,900 | 14,950 |
| Hawaii | $57,590 | $49,900 to $79,520 | 420 |
| Idaho | $64,620 | $50,930 to $100,760 | 1,690 |
| Illinois | $99,840 | $63,320 to $156,700 | 27,920 |
| Indiana | $68,290 | $53,070 to $108,150 | 6,460 |
| Iowa | $64,290 | $49,340 to $100,110 | 2,300 |
| Kansas | $75,810 | $56,620 to $100,020 | 2,310 |
| Kentucky | $59,110 | $49,020 to $83,100 | 5,340 |
| Louisiana | $48,040 | $43,080 to $75,550 | 4,130 |
| Maine | $59,970 | $52,680 to $102,300 | 690 |
| Maryland | $61,660 | $51,950 to $94,340 | 8,420 |
| Massachusetts | $100,310 | $66,020 to $161,030 | 14,510 |
| Michigan | $73,480 | $56,970 to $105,240 | 7,160 |
| Minnesota | $83,350 | $58,700 to $133,270 | 8,820 |
| Mississippi | $46,680 | $38,330 to $53,800 | 1,950 |
| Missouri | $78,500 | $58,810 to $106,340 | 8,770 |
| Montana | not published | not published | 430 |
| Nebraska | $82,560 | $62,660 to $124,990 | 2,150 |
| Nevada | $61,490 | $51,800 to $84,050 | 3,140 |
| New Hampshire | $78,930 | $57,600 to $139,630 | 1,530 |
| New Jersey | $82,420 | $58,880 to $132,270 | 15,230 |
| New Mexico | $60,850 | $50,680 to $93,800 | 1,690 |
| New York | $168,340 | $101,860 to $233,800 | 55,630 |
| North Carolina | $74,040 | $50,410 to $110,030 | 21,890 |
| North Dakota | $63,670 | $48,740 to $103,270 | 740 |
| Ohio | $73,300 | $51,570 to $100,660 | 13,520 |
| Oklahoma | $76,080 | $50,450 to $126,950 | 2,310 |
| Oregon | $76,710 | $54,720 to $124,950 | 2,900 |
| Pennsylvania | $71,840 | $53,050 to $103,900 | 15,510 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,930 | $31,350 to $62,690 | 970 |
| Rhode Island | not published | not published | 1,780 |
| South Carolina | $55,390 | $48,170 to $93,510 | 7,230 |
| South Dakota | $86,780 | $47,960 to $127,980 | 730 |
| Tennessee | $58,050 | $47,550 to $83,540 | 11,370 |
| Texas | $78,470 | $51,390 to $130,950 | 41,640 |
| Utah | $64,660 | $56,930 to $89,150 | 4,520 |
| Vermont | $88,280 | $78,570 to $135,290 | 240 |
| Virgin Islands | $35,160 | $33,820 to $59,560 | 80 |
| Virginia | $62,910 | $50,910 to $104,580 | 11,320 |
| Washington | $75,510 | $58,750 to $101,480 | 8,770 |
| West Virginia | $50,050 | $45,710 to $62,570 | 930 |
| Wisconsin | $74,010 | $58,070 to $102,430 | 5,980 |
| Wyoming | not published | not published | 280 |
Nationally: $78,660. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 22 of its 30 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Monitor markets or positions. | 0.01% |
| Not much | Agree on buying or selling prices at optimal levels for clients. | Not published |
| AI + software | Keep accurate records of transactions. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Discuss financial options with clients and keep them informed about transactions. | 0.02% |
| AI alone | Determine customers' financial services needs and prepare proposals to sell services that address these needs. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Interview clients to determine clients' assets, liabilities, cash flow, insurance coverage, tax status, or financial objectives. | under 0.01% |
See all 30 tasks
| AI + software | Report all positions or trading results. | Not published |
| AI + software | Develop financial plans, based on analysis of clients' financial status. | Not published |
| AI alone | Contact prospective customers to present information and explain available services. | 0.01% |
| Not much | Identify opportunities or develop channels for purchase or sale of securities or commodities. | Not published |
| Not much | Make bids or offers to buy or sell securities. | Not published |
| AI + software | Track and analyze factors that affect price movement, such as trade policies, weather conditions, political developments, or supply and demand changes. | 0.07% |
| AI + software | Inform other traders, managers, or customers of market conditions, including volume, price, competition, or dynamics. | Not published |
| AI + software | Devise trading, option, or hedge strategies. | Not published |
| AI alone | Complete sales order tickets and submit for processing of client-requested transactions. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Explain stock market terms or trading practices to clients. | 0.02% |
| Not much | Buy or sell stocks, bonds, commodity futures, foreign currencies, or other securities on behalf of investment dealers. | Not published |
| AI alone | Offer advice on the purchase or sale of particular securities. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Prepare financial reports to monitor client or corporate finances. | 0.03% |
| AI + software | Review all securities transactions to ensure accuracy of information and conformance to governing agency regulations. | Not published |
| AI + software | Calculate costs for billings or commissions. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Supply the latest price quotes on any security, as well as information on the activities or financial positions of the corporations issuing these securities. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Relay buy or sell orders to securities exchanges or to firm trading departments. | Not published |
| AI + software | Evaluate costs and revenue of agreements to determine continued profitability. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Supervise support staff and ensure proper execution of contracts. | Not published |
| Not much | Sell services or equipment, such as trusts, investments, or check processing services. | Not published |
| Not much | Negotiate prices or contracts for securities or commodities sales or purchases. | Not published |
| AI + software | Prepare and send requests for price quotations to all companies in a particular market. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Price securities or commodities based on market conditions. | Not published |
| Not much | Purchase or sell financial derivatives for customers. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. O*NET hasn't rated 4 of the tasks, so they come last, in O*NET's own order. 15 of the 30 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 30 tasks fall under 24 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #1 Gather information from physical or electronic sources
- #7 Explain technical details of products or services
- #32 Monitor external affairs, trends, or events
- and 3 more, in the table below
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explain financial information | |||
| Sell products or services | |||
| Determine values or prices of goods or services | |||
| Negotiate contracts or agreements | |||
| Monitor external affairs, trends, or events | |||
| Identify business or organizational opportunities | |||
| Collect data about consumer needs or opinions | |||
| Prepare financial documents, reports, or budgets |
Show all 24 activities
| Gather information from physical or electronic sources | |||
| Explain technical details of products or services | |||
| Purchase goods or services | |||
| Evaluate the quality or accuracy of data | |||
| Analyze market or industry conditions | |||
| Promote products, services, or programs | |||
| Analyze business or financial data | |||
| Prepare documentation for contracts, applications, or permits | |||
| Execute financial transactions | |||
| Develop professional relationships or networks | |||
| Monitor financial data or activities | |||
| Coordinate activities with clients, agencies, or organizations | |||
| Communicate with others about business strategies | |||
| Maintain sales or financial records | |||
| Prepare proposals or grant applications | |||
| Supervise personnel activities |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- An explanation or answer21%
- An analysis or summary19%
- A document or report13%
- Data or a spreadsheet12%
- Advice or a recommendation11%
How they worked with Claude
37% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 163,129 moves out
- 1 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products Very high -0.9% 6%
- 2 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 5%
- 3 Financial Managers Very high +9.7% 5%
- 4 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 5 Sales Managers High +4.5% 5%
Where people moved in from
of 155,923 moves in
- 1 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 7%
- 2 Tellers High -13.2% 6%
- 3 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products Very high -0.9% 6%
- 4 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 5%
- 5 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 4%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 27% high school
- 1% postsecondary certificate
- 6% some college
- 1% associate's
- 55% bachelor's
- 6% post-bachelor's certificate
- 4% master's
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 86 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 2% less than high school
- 8% high school
- 12% some college
- 5% associate's
- 53% bachelor's
- 18% master's
- 1% professional degree
- 1% doctorate
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 2,087 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
3 programs: Financial Planning and Services, Investments and Securities and Business and Personal/Financial Services Marketing Operations.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
41.9% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | 34.8% | 19.1% |
| a certification | <0.5% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | <0.5% | 2.8% |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 1 registered apprenticeship in this occupation (Financial Services Representative). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS · Brynjolfsson, Chandar and Chen, Stanford (Aug 2026)
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/41-3031.00