Stock Broker Salary: U.S. Benchmarks & Guide

Stock broker salary

This page explains what "stock broker salary" means in the context of U.S. equities and financial services, and gives readers clear, data-informed guidance on pay components, typical ranges, regional differences, career progression, and how to increase earnings. Readers will learn how base pay, commissions, bonuses and benefits combine to form total compensation and what to expect at different career stages.

As of 2026-01-27, major salary aggregators and industry guides show wide variation in reported stock broker salary figures depending on methodology, geographic market and firm type. This guide synthesizes that public reporting and explains why ranges are broad and how to interpret them.

Overview

In practice, the term stock broker salary covers the total compensation received by registered representatives and brokers who execute trades and provide securities advice. Total compensation usually consists of a base salary plus variable pay—commissions, bonuses and profit sharing—along with benefits and non-cash rewards. Some firms offer salary-only packages for junior staff or compliance roles, while many production-oriented broker roles remain commission-heavy.

Reported figures for stock broker salary vary by source and by date. As of 2026-01-27, datasets from Glassdoor, PayScale and Salary.com indicate median-to-average total annual compensation commonly falls in the low five-figure to mid six-figure range, with outliers substantially above those levels for senior producers in major financial centers.

This article uses publicly reported ranges and industry guidance to explain how compensation is structured, the main factors that influence pay, and practical steps brokers use to increase earnings.

Compensation components

Stock broker salary is best understood as a sum of discrete components. Each component behaves differently across firm types and individual performance.

Base salary

Base salary is the fixed cash pay a broker receives irrespective of production. Some firms pay meaningful bases during a ramp-up or to attract candidates; others offer nominal bases or operate on commission-only contracts. Typical base salary patterns:

• Entry-level/trainee roles: employers sometimes provide a base from roughly $40,000 to $70,000 in many U.S. markets to cover living costs and training.
• Mid-level brokers: base salaries commonly range from $60,000 to $120,000 at firms that maintain a pay floor.
• Senior advisors in fee-based environments may see higher fixed compensation reflecting retained responsibilities and compliance oversight.

Data sources differ: as of 2026-01-27, PayScale and Salary.com report base salary medians and ranges that align with the patterns above, while Glassdoor’s total-compensation pages often show higher medians once commissions and bonuses are included.

Commissions and transaction-based pay

Commissions remain a primary variable pay element for many brokers. Commission models include: per-trade fees, percentage-of-assets or percentage-of-transaction revenue, and tiered schedules that increase payout rates with higher production.

• Per-trade or flat-fee commissions reward transactional volume.
• Percentage-based commissions pay a portion of trade value or spread and align pay with trade size.
• Tiered commission grids improve yield for top producers: once brokers exceed thresholds, their commission percentage increases.

Commissions may be paid immediately, deferred, or subject to clawback provisions (for client cancellations, chargebacks or compliance reviews). Some firms also pay trailing or recurring commissions for products that generate ongoing fees (e.g., certain mutual fund share classes or annuity trails), which can create durable income streams.

Bonuses and profit-sharing

Bonuses are often discretionary and tied to individual, team or firm performance. They come in several forms:

• Quarterly or annual performance bonuses based on revenue or net new assets.
• Signing bonuses offered to attract experienced brokers with a book of business.
• Profit-sharing plans and deferred compensation arrangements that align longer-term interests between brokers and employers.

For top producers, bonuses and profit-sharing can exceed base pay and materially boost total stock broker salary.

Non-cash compensation and benefits

Non-cash pay affects the practical value of compensation packages. Common benefits include:

• Health, dental and vision insurance.
• Retirement plans with employer contributions (401(k) matches) and deferred-comp plans.
• Equity awards or long-term incentive plans at larger firms.
• Training allowances, licensing reimbursement, and paid continuing education.
• Perks such as paid travel, client entertainment budgets, or administrative support.

These benefits can offset costs of doing business and add significant value—especially for brokers who rely on firm support for compliance, technology and client service.

Typical salary ranges and benchmarks

Reported numbers vary by data source and methodology. Use ranges rather than single-point estimates to reflect the diversity in roles and markets for stock broker salary.

National averages and percentiles

Major aggregator sites report differing median and percentile values because of sample differences and how total compensation is defined. As of 2026-01-27, a synthesis of Glassdoor, PayScale and Salary.com yields the following illustrative ranges for U.S. stock broker salary (total compensation):

• Entry-level (first 1–3 years): roughly $45,000–$85,000 total annually in many markets.
• Mid-level producers (3–7 years): roughly $70,000–$180,000 total, with variability by book size.
• Senior/top producers (7+ years or large AUM): $180,000 to $1,000,000+ for highly productive brokers who generate substantial commissions or advisory fees.

Different data sources place medians at different points within these ranges. For example, PayScale’s median base tends to sit lower than Glassdoor’s median total compensation because Glassdoor’s totals often include reported bonuses and commissions.

Note: reported percentiles can be wide. The 25th percentile for brokers may be below $60,000 while the 75th percentile often exceeds $150,000, reflecting commission-driven upside.

Regional and city variations

Location matters. Urban financial centers and high-cost locales often pay higher stock broker salary levels to match living costs and client concentration.

• New York City: salary and total compensation figures are commonly well above national medians. As of 2026-01-27, city-specific PayScale and Salary.com pages show median total pay noticeably higher than national medians for registered representatives and financial advisors.
• Other large markets (San Francisco, Boston, Chicago): elevated compensation compared with national medians due to concentration of wealth and institutional business.
• Secondary and rural markets: lower base salaries and smaller commission pools; however, lower cost of living can make lower nominal pay acceptable.

Data aggregators that offer city-level pages (e.g., PayScale, Salary.com) commonly report a New York City premium that can add 15–40% or more to comparable roles in lower-cost metro areas depending on firm type.

Factors influencing stock broker salary

Multiple determinants affect stock broker salary. Understanding them helps interpret ranges and plan career moves.

Employer type and business model

The firm’s business model is one of the strongest pay drivers. Typical distinctions:

• Wirehouse / large bank brokerage: often offer structured base-plus-bonus packages and can pay competitive total compensation to attract producers. Access to large institutional resources and affluent clients can improve earnings potential.
• Independent broker-dealer / RIA: many advisors there run fee-based models and may receive a salary, fee revenue share, or a higher advisory fee split. Compensation tends to favor AUM generation and retention.
• Boutique/advisory firms: compensation varies widely; smaller firms may offer profit-sharing or equity stakes to senior hires.
• Discount/online brokers: transactional volumes are high but per-trade commissions are lower; roles in these firms often emphasize salary and customer-service KPIs rather than high commissions.

Experience and seniority

Experience translates into higher stock broker salary through improved client relationships, larger books, and higher productivity. Career progression typically raises the share of variable compensation as producers build revenue streams.

Book of business / assets under management (AUM)

A broker’s existing clients and AUM are direct predictors of pay. Higher AUM and recurring fee streams (advisory fees rather than one-off commissions) produce more predictable income and often higher valuation during lateral moves.

• New clients and net new assets: firms compensate acquisition through higher commission splits or signing packages.
• Client retention: trailing fees and renewal commissions contribute to long-term compensation.

Licenses, credentials and specialization

Regulatory licenses and professional credentials increase pay potential:

• FINRA registrations (Series 7, 63/65/66) are baseline requirements for registered representatives; additional licenses may be required for certain products.
• Professional designations (CFP, CFA) and specialized industry expertise (equities, options, fixed income) enhance credibility and can command higher fees or access to wealthier clients.

Market cycles and regulatory environment

Bull markets and rising trading volumes historically raise commission income and thus stock broker salary for transaction-oriented roles. Conversely, low-volatility or bear markets can reduce trade volume and compress commission income.

Regulatory change also matters. Policies that shift the industry toward fee-based advisory relationships can push firms to alter compensation mixes, lowering commissions in favor of advisory fees and retainer models.

Compensation trends and industry changes

The brokerage industry has evolved in ways that impact stock broker salary profiles.

• Commission compression: reduced per-trade fees and regulatory scrutiny mean some traditional commission pools are smaller than in past decades.
• Rise of fee-based models and AUM fees: many firms emphasize advisory services and recurring fee revenue, favoring advisors with AUM over high-frequency transactional brokers.
• Automation and robo-advisors: technology provides scale for low-cost advice, limiting growth in low-margin transactional brokerage roles but creating opportunities for advisors as wealth aggregation and planning specialists.
• Product mix changes: structured products, alternative investments and wealth-management services can increase revenue per client and support higher broker pay when firms enable access to these offerings.

These trends encourage brokers to focus on client relationships, planning and AUM growth rather than purely transaction-driven income.

Career path and progression

Typical ladders and associated compensation dynamics:

• Trainee / Associate: early-stage learning, licensing support, modest base salary; emphasis on lead generation and client onboarding.
• Registered representative: full-selling status after licensing; compensation mixes begin to include commission splits and performance bonuses.
• Senior broker / advisor: larger books of business, advisory responsibilities, higher commission splits and advisory fees, potential profit-sharing.
• Team lead / manager: reduced production as managerial duties grow, but compensation includes team overrides, salary and discretionary bonuses.

Mobility between employer types (wirehouse, independent RIA, boutique) is a common lever for increasing stock broker salary, but moves often require negotiation on book valuations, transition assistance and client retention clauses.

How brokers increase earnings

Practical steps brokers use to raise their stock broker salary include:

• Build and retain high-net-worth client relationships that generate recurring fees.
• Shift from transaction-based to fee-based models where possible to create predictable income streams.
• Negotiate compensation mix: higher base, better commission split, or signing bonuses when changing firms.
• Obtain credentials (CFP, CFA) and specialized licenses to access higher-margin products.
• Move to higher-paying geographic markets or employer types while weighing cost-of-living impacts.
• Increase productivity by focusing on cross-selling and product mix optimization.

Consistent client service and compliance discipline are essential because losing clients or triggering compliance issues can reduce pay significantly due to clawbacks or damaged reputation.

Comparison to related roles

Stock broker salary compares differently to related financial roles:

• Financial advisor / planner: often more fee-based and fiduciary; compensation may be steadier for planners with recurring AUM fees and typically overlaps with broker compensation for advisors operating as hybrid registered reps.
• Trader: compensation for traders often ties to desk or firm profitability and can be highly variable and performance-linked; traders may earn larger short-term bonuses but fewer client-based recurring fees.
• Investment banker: bankers typically have high fixed pay at senior levels and large performance bonuses; entry barriers and work hours differ substantially from retail broker roles.
• Portfolio manager: compensation tied to AUM performance and fund returns; successful managers can earn substantial fees but require different skill sets and institutional support.

These comparisons highlight how pay structure (transactional vs fee-based vs performance-based) affects income stability and upside.

Employment outlook and labor market

Drivers of demand for brokers include demographic wealth transfer, increased retail participation in markets, and demand for financial planning. Countervailing pressures include automation, consolidation of advisory firms, and regulatory changes that can reduce commission pools.

The outlook is mixed: roles that emphasize planning, relationship management and AUM growth remain in demand, while purely transactional roles face upward pressure to adapt or specialize.

Data sources, methodology and caveats

This article synthesizes public salary aggregators and career guides. Key points about methodology and caveats:

• Primary sources referenced: Glassdoor, PayScale (national and NYC pages), Salary.com (national and New York pages), Investopedia, LearnHowToBecome, Jobted and industry videos. Each source uses different data collection methods—self-reported figures, employer surveys, or HR-derived datasets.
• As of 2026-01-27, these sources report varying medians and ranges; differences stem from whether totals include commissions, bonuses, benefits, and from sample composition (retail brokers vs institutional sales).
• Self-reported datasets may bias toward extremes (successful producers often report higher totals) and may undercount small-market roles.
• Comparisons across sources should focus on ranges and percentiles rather than exact point estimates.

Editors and readers should consult the original source pages for the most recent updates and for sample-size details. Numeric values in this guide are intended to illustrate common ranges and are not a guarantee of future pay.

See also

• stockbroker (role)
• brokerage firm
• financial advisor
• FINRA licensing
• robo-advisors
• commission structure

References

As of 2026-01-27, the following retained sources were used for ranges, definitions and industry context (check the original pages for the latest figures and methodology):

• Glassdoor: stock broker salary pages and total compensation reports (as of 2026-01-27).
• PayScale: national and New York City pages for registered representative / stock broker roles (as of 2026-01-27).
• Salary.com: national and New York City compensation data for broker roles (as of 2026-01-27).
• Investopedia: career and compensation articles on stockbrokers and registered reps (as of 2026-01-27).
• LearnHowToBecome: career and salary overviews for stockbrokers (as of 2026-01-27).
• Jobted: salary summaries for brokerage roles (as of 2026-01-27).
• Industry video overviews and analyst interviews on stockbroker pay trends (YouTube summaries, as of 2026-01-27).

Notes for editors / recommended content additions

• Add up-to-date numeric tables with medians and percentiles and date-stamped source attribution.
• Expand country-specific sections beyond the U.S. where applicable.
• Include historical trend charts showing shifts in commission vs. fee-based compensation over multiple years.

Further exploration

To explore income drivers and platform tools for managing trading business, consider Bitget’s educational resources and wallet solutions for digital asset management. Learn how different fee models affect long-term revenue and client retention strategies with practical tools and training available on Bitget platforms.

More practical recommendations and model compensation grids can be added to this guide on request.