BUSINESS Zone 3: Medium Preparation

Brokerage Clerks

Brokerage Clerks earn $65,750 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $58,620 and $79,800. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.

About Brokerage Clerks

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.


Median Wage
$65,750
Employed Nationally
36K
Openings / Year
4,100
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Job Zone
Zone 3: Medium Preparation

Also known as:

Account Administrator Broker Assistant Brokerage Agent Brokerage Analyst Brokerage Assistant

How Much Do Brokerage Clerks Make?

Brokerage Clerks earn $65,750 nationally, near the national median for college graduates. The middle 50% of earners fall between $58,620 and $79,800. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and location.

$65,750
National Median (Annual)

Near the national median for college graduates.

$59K–$80K
Middle 50% Range

25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.


Earnings Range

What Do Brokerage Clerks Do?

O*NET data identifies 5 core activities and 5 measurable skills for Brokerage Clerks roles. Use this section to judge whether the day-to-day reality aligns with what you actually want to spend time doing.

What You'll Do

  • 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.
  • File, type, or operate standard office machines.
  • Perform clerical tasks, such as answering phones or distributing mail.
  • Prepare forms, such as receipts, withdrawal orders, transmittal papers, or transfer confirmations, based on transaction requests from stockholders.

Core Skills Employers Look For

Active Listening Speaking Reading Comprehension Time Management Critical Thinking

Who Thrives Here

C
Conventional

Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.

E
Enterprising

Leadership, influence, and business acumen are rewarded here, where managing teams, driving decisions, or persuading others shapes career outcomes.

S
Social

Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.

Where Do Brokerage Clerks Work?

What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.

Work Setting
Mixed

Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.

Physical Demands
Light

Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.

Stress Level
High

High time pressure and significant consequences for errors. Deadline-driven or high-stakes decisions are common.

What Is the Job Outlook for Brokerage Clerks?

The BLS projects -9.5% employment change for Brokerage Clerks through 2034, a declining trend, below the national average of +5%. About 4,100 openings per year keep the field accessible to new entrants.

↘ -9.5%
10-Year Growth (2024–2034)

Declining employment projected.

4,100
Annual Openings

New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.

36K
Currently Employed

Total US employment as of BLS May 2024.

Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024.

Where the Jobs Are

The five states below employ the most Brokerage Clerks professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $65,750 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.

# State Jobs Median Wage vs. National
1 California 6,000 $77,460 +17.8%
2 New York 5,640 $75,990 +15.6%
3 Texas 2,840 $58,120 -11.6%
4 New Jersey 2,760 $67,590 +2.8%
5 Florida 2,480 $60,530 -7.9%

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →

How to Get Here

Most Brokerage Clerks positions require a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify. The program below is the most common academic pathways into this field, ranked by how many graduates they produce each year.

High school diploma or equivalent
Zone 3: Medium Preparation

A medium amount of preparation is required, often an associate degree, certificate program, or apprenticeship, plus some related experience.


Degree Programs That Lead Here

# Program Graduates/yr 4yr Median Colleges
1 Accounting 84,760 $76,194 2,112

Top Colleges for Aspiring Brokerage Clerks

Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.

# College UCD Score Net Price Salary 10yr
1 CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY 93 $3,033 $75,971
2 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 93 $6,541 $71,588
3 North Florida College Madison, FL 91 $804 $33,929
4 Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 90 $15,846 $91,565
5 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 90 $11,655 $72,200
6 University of California-Davis Davis, CA 90 $14,741 $80,838

Plan Your Path

Once you've sized up Brokerage Clerks, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.

Brokerage Clerks Pros & Cons

Brokerage Clerks has real financial strengths, but declining employment projections deserve careful consideration. The 2 upsides and 1 concerns below are all data-sourced.

PROS
  • Competitive salary $65,750 median wage puts this career near or above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
  • Accessible entry path The typical entry requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent, lower than many comparable-paying careers. This creates a shorter path from training to first paycheck.
CONS
  • Declining employment The BLS projects -9.5% employment change through 2034. This field is expected to shrink. Automation, offshoring, or structural industry change are likely factors.

Brokerage Clerks Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Brokerage Clerks professionals earn?
The national median annual wage for Brokerage Clerks is $65,750, near the national median for full-time workers. The middle 50% of earners fall between $58,620 and $79,800. Pay varies by employer size, industry sector, specialization, and geography. National figures are a starting point, not a guarantee.
Is Brokerage Clerks a good career?
With realistic expectations. The BLS projects -9.5% employment change through 2034. This field is shrinking, not expanding. The $65,750 median wage is competitive, but most openings come from retirements and exits rather than new positions. If you're drawn to this work, differentiate through a specialized niche or adjacent certification that keeps you relevant as the broader field contracts.
How do I become a Brokerage Clerks?
Most Brokerage Clerks positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the minimum credential. a medium amount of preparation is required, often an associate degree, certificate program, or apprenticeship, plus some related experience. Programs like Accounting are common starting points.
Why are Brokerage Clerks jobs declining?
The BLS projects -9.5% employment change for Brokerage Clerks through 2034. Declining occupations typically face some combination of automation, industry consolidation, offshoring, or reduced consumer demand, rarely a single cause. Despite the overall decline, about 4,100 openings per year are still projected, mostly replacements for workers who retire or leave, not new positions. 36K people currently work in this field, so while it's contracting, active hiring still occurs. Specialization in high-value segments of the role gives the strongest protection.
What skills do Brokerage Clerks professionals need?
O*NET data identifies the core skills employers consistently prioritize for Brokerage Clerks roles: Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Time Management, and Critical Thinking. These develop through formal education and hands-on work. Programs with internship or co-op requirements give you a meaningful head start on the ones that take time to build.

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