A securities, commodities, and financial services sales agent sells investment products and financial strategies to clients. You'll need a bachelor's degree and considerable preparation. The work is fast-paced, relationship-driven, and requires strong analytical skills.
Pathly builds you a free, personalized roadmap and helps your counselor champion you along the way.
You help clients buy and sell securities, commodities, and other financial products. Your day involves working with computers to research market data, getting information from clients about their financial goals, and making recommendations based on their needs. You establish and maintain relationships with clients over time, monitor their portfolios, and keep current with market trends and regulations. You process complex financial information, solve problems, and communicate clearly about investment strategies and risk.
Core work activities
Career video courtesy of CareerOneStop.
Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents earn a median of $78,660 a year, based on 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and location.
The outlook is steady. Employment is projected to grow 3 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as average for all occupations, with about 38,100 openings a year.
Top skills
Knowledge areas
Start with a bachelor's degree. Your coursework will cover economics, accounting, mathematics, and sales principles. During your studies, develop skills in active listening, critical thinking, and reading comprehension. You'll need considerable preparation beyond the degree itself, including learning financial software and market analysis tools. Many employers provide on-the-job training in their specific products and compliance requirements. Building a foundation in customer service and communication early on will strengthen your candidacy.
Most people enter this field after earning a bachelor's degree, though the path to your first role depends on which financial products interest you most. Use Pathly can map the securities, commodities, and financial services sales agent path that fits you to map out your education and early career steps, and work with your counselor to stay on track.
Many securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents must be licensed, and professional certifications can strengthen your resume.
Common certifications
Licensing is handled at the state level and the requirements vary, so check the licensing board in your state. Pathly shows your state's specific steps inside your roadmap.
You're enterprising, comfortable with numbers and strategy, and energized by building client relationships. You think critically, listen actively, and enjoy solving financial problems for others.
Reading about a career is the easy part. Turning it into a plan is where most students get stuck. Pathly takes you from curious to a clear next step, and gives your counselor the insight to champion you along the way.
Start with a quick quiz and assessments that surface your personality, your EQ, and what really motivates you, so your next steps are built around who you actually are.
Your free AI guide weighs this career against your strengths and goals, and surfaces the colleges, trades, and scholarships that match, so you know if it truly fits before you commit.
Get a personalized, step-by-step plan to reach this career, with the training, coursework, and credentials tracked in one place. Link your school or IEC and your counselor in the loop.
Last updated July 1, 2026.
Data sources. Career details from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Salary and outlook figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 wages; 2024–2034 projections), delivered via the CareerOneStop API. Certification, licensing, wage, and outlook data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).