Financial Services Sales Agent
Help clients invest and buy financial products, from stocks to retirement plans.
- $78,660
- 4 years plus licensing
Business & Office career
Brokerage Clerk
Also called: Brokerage Assistant · Securities Operations Clerk · Trade Support Clerk · Investment Operations Assistant
What brokerage clerks do, what they earn, how long training takes and how to get started, with official BLS pay data and practical, job-level detail.
What does a brokerage clerk do?
Brokerage clerks perform clerical duties involving securities transactions, such as recording orders, preparing confirmations and maintaining records. The median pay is $65,750 per year (BLS, May 2025), most people train for about A few months on the job, and employment is projected to grow -7.6% from 2025–35.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
- Median pay$65,750$31.61/hour · May 2025
- Job growth-7.6%2025–35, a projected decline
- Openings per year3,400Average, 2025–35
- Typical entry educationHigh school diploma or equivalentBLS classification
- Time to trainA few months on the jobTypical program length
- U.S. jobs36,900Employment, 2025
What brokerage clerks do
Brokerage clerks support investment firms behind the scenes. They process buy and sell orders, check trade details, prepare confirmations, handle transfers and dividends, update client accounts and answer questions from brokers and clients.
A high school diploma and moderate on-the-job training are typical, though many have some college. BLS projects a decline as trading becomes more automated.
Typical duties
- Process trade orders
- Verify trade details
- Prepare confirmations
- Process transfers
- Update account records
- Handle dividends
- Answer broker questions
Work environment and schedule
Clerks work in offices at brokerages, banks and investment firms.
Schedule: Full-time hours tied to market days.
A day in the life
- Reconcile yesterday’s trades.
- Monitor market open.
- Fix a trade error.
- Process an account transfer.
See a full day in the life of a brokerage clerk →
Brokerage Clerk salary
Half of brokerage clerks earned more than $65,750 and half earned less in May 2025. Pay ranged from about $50,260 for the lowest 10% to $102,010 for the top 10%.
Full brokerage clerk pay scale and hourly rates →
How to become a brokerage clerk
- Finish high school
- Take finance courses
- Get hired in operations
- Pass the SIE
- Advance
A high school diploma and moderate on-the-job training are typical; some college helps.
Step-by-step guide to becoming a brokerage clerk →
Skills and tools
Technical skills
- Trade processing
- Securities basics
- Reconciliation
- Account transfers
- Excel
People skills
- Accuracy
- Focus
- Communication
- Reliability
All brokerage clerk skills and tools →
Pros and cons
Pros
- Entry to finance careers
- Good pay for clerical work
- Office hours
- Learn markets
Cons
- Declining employment
- Deadline pressure
- Errors are costly
- Repetitive tasks
Certifications and licenses
- SIE exam: Securities Industry Essentials.
- Series 99: Operations professional.
- Excel certification: Helpful.
- Finance courses: Helpful.
Career path
- Brokerage Clerk: Entry.
- Operations Specialist: Complex tasks.
- Operations Supervisor: Lead.
- Operations Manager: Run ops.
Learn the job before day one
Our Brokerage Clerk training (10 hours, $89.99) covers the role, 15+ key terms, step-by-step procedures such as reconcile daily trades and process an account transfer, safety and how to land your first job.
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Financial Analyst
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Bank Teller
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Compare: Brokerage Clerk vs. Financial Sales Agent · Brokerage Clerk vs. Bookkeeper · Brokerage Clerk vs. Financial Analyst · Brokerage Clerk vs. Bank Teller
Brokerage Clerk FAQ
Do brokerage clerks need a license?
Usually not, but the SIE helps.
Is the job declining?
BLS projects decline.
Can it lead to other finance jobs?
Yes, operations often leads to other roles.
How much does a brokerage clerk make?
The median annual wage for brokerage clerks was $65,750 ($31.61 per hour) in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest 10% earned less than $50,260 and the highest 10% earned more than $102,010.
How long does it take to become a brokerage clerk?
Most people need about A few months on the job of training. A high school diploma and moderate on-the-job training are typical; some college helps.
Do you need a degree to be a brokerage clerk?
No four-year degree is typically required. BLS lists “high school diploma or equivalent” as the typical entry-level education, plus moderate-term on-the-job training.
More brokerage clerk questions →
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, SOC 43-4011 (Brokerage clerks).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2 (2025–35).
- O*NET OnLine summary for Brokerage clerks (U.S. Department of Labor).
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Reviewed by the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team. Pay figures are national estimates; local pay varies. See our editorial policy.