Bonuses for traders shot up despite a (comparatively) uneventful 2024

2024 was a good year for jobs in sales & trading. Although overall revenue figures were still off 2021's record highs, they were still up on a more volatile 2023 (based on the average closing price of the VIX). Traders made the most of the situation, and were rewarded for it.

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Our 2025 Compensation & Lifestyle report received over 2,500 responses from professionals in the financial services sector, including professionals in sales and trading across all main product groups, including both equities and fixed income, credit, and currencies (FICC).

As a whole sector, sales & trading professionals had the largest bonus increases in our survey - their bonuses grew by 33% on average compared to last year. This varied between product groups - at the low end, credit traders received a 20% bonus increase on average, while commodities traders received a 39% bonus increase on average.

Within the sector as a whole, it was senior staff whose bonuses increased the most dramatically. Bonuses for managing directors were up a massive 73%, while the directors below them saw much smaller increases of just 27%. 

Our survey found that MDs in sales and trading earned $672k in combined salary and bonus last year. This was less than the average of $820k earned by the average investment banking MD who responded to our survey. At vice president and director level, however, total compensation in sales and trading was 10% and 17% higher than in banking roles, respectively.

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