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Career

Brokerage Clerks

Typical education: Associate degreeLower pressure

What they do

Perform duties related to the purchase, sale, or holding of securities. Duties include writing orders for stock purchases or sales, computing transfer taxes, verifying stock transactions, accepting and delivering securities, tracking stock price fluctuations, computing equity, distributing dividends, and keeping records of daily transactions and holdings.

Kinds of work

  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $65,750 Median per year · $31.61/hr Most earn $50,260–$102,010

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Perform clerical tasks, such as answering phones or distributing mail.
  • Perform clerical tasks, such as answering phones or distributing mail.
  • Correspond with customers and confer with coworkers to answer inquiries, discuss market fluctuations, or resolve account problems.
  • Document security transactions, such as purchases, sales, conversions, redemptions, or payments, using computers, accounting ledgers, or certificate records.
  • Monitor daily stock prices and compute fluctuations to determine the need for additional collateral to secure loans.
  • File, type, or operate standard office machines.

Job outlook

United States
8% fewer jobs by 2035, declining · about 3,400 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments and related activities66.5%
  • Credit intermediation and related activities14.1%
  • Management of companies and enterprises3.6%
  • Insurance agencies and brokerages2.7%
  • Freight transportation arrangement2.5%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Associate degreeExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Brokerage clerk is usually not a job you start straight out of school. Most people first earn an associate degree or similar training, then spend about 1 to 2 years in a related clerical job before moving into brokerage work.

  1. Associate degree in business, accounting, or finance

    2 years

    You learn basic accounting, business math, and computer skills, which are the foundation for tracking trades and holdings.

  2. Bookkeeping Clerk

    1-2 years

    You practice keeping accurate records, checking numbers, and handling financial paperwork, which closely matches brokerage record-keeping.

  3. Brokerage Clerk

    Entry point after 1-2 years of related work

    You write orders, verify stock transactions, track price changes, and keep daily records of client holdings and dividends.

Where it can lead

  1. Securities Sales Agent

    2-4 years of experience first

    You shift from processing trades to advising clients and selling financial products; this usually requires a bachelor's degree and often a securities license.

  2. Operations Supervisor

    Several years as a brokerage clerk of experience first

    You oversee a team of clerks, check their work, and manage daily processing; moving up typically depends on showing strong accuracy and leadership.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and business classesCourses like algebra, statistics, accounting, or economics build the number skills this job uses every day.
  • Join a business clubClubs like DECA or Future Business Leaders of America, if your school has them, teach finance basics and presenting skills.
  • Get a starter job that handles moneyA cashier or food service job teaches accuracy with money and customer service, which are useful in brokerage work.
  • Join or start a stock market game or investment clubTracking stock prices and making simple records shows you how trading and holdings work.
  • Volunteer as a treasurer or helper for a club or groupKeeping track of money and records for a group gives you real experience with ledgers and accuracy.

In college

  • Take accounting, finance, and economics coursesThese classes explain how securities, dividends, and transaction records work, and they fit an associate or bachelor's path.
  • Learn Excel and basic data toolsStrong spreadsheet skills help you track holdings, check figures, and organize trade records.
  • Work a part-time job at a bank or customer service centerTeller or service roles build experience with transactions, customer questions, and careful record-keeping.
  • Look for an internship in finance or banking operationsAn internship lets you see how trade processing and client accounts work in practice and gives you a reference for later jobs.
  • Join a finance or investment club on campusClub activities help you learn about markets and connect with people already working in finance.

Tips for getting started

  • Get comfortable with spreadsheets, especially Excel, since much of this work involves numbers and records.
  • Look for part-time jobs in banks, retail, or customer service. Handling money and customers builds the experience employers look for.
  • Pay attention to detail and accuracy in everything you do; small mistakes in trade records matter a lot in this field.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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