Updated April 25, 2024
5 min read
A day trader is a professional who analyzes market trends and conditions to buy and sell various investment vehicles like equities, options, futures, and FOREX markets. They use technical and financial analysis to research and time trades. Day traders also monitor financial reports and press releases to evaluate market expectations and identify investment opportunities. They manage their portfolios, conduct market research, and develop trading methodologies based on product cycles and fundamental analysis. They work on trading floors, using a variety of financial instruments to make daily profits. They also use enterprise valuation, DCF modeling, balance volume, stochastics, and MACD to analyze the market and make informed investment decisions.
How long does it takes to become a day trader?
It typically takes 2-3 years to become a day trader:
- Year 1-2: Earning a certification or taking relevant courses in finance, economics, or a related field.
- Year 3: Gaining practical experience through internships, entry-level positions, or self-directed trading.
- Salary$116,895
- Growth Rate10%
- Jobs Number3,812
- Job Satisfaction
- Most Common SkillTechnical Analysis
- Most Common DegreeBachelor's degree
- Best StateNew York
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Day Trader career paths
A day trader can explore various career paths, ranging from sales to finance. They can leverage their skills to become an account executive, regional sales manager, or sales vice president. They can also transition into a finance role as a finance analyst, credit manager, or portfolio manager. Day traders with a passion for management can become property managers, team leaders, or even senior vice presidents. They can also explore opportunities in marketing as a brand manager or trade marketing manager. Ultimately, the career path chosen will depend on the individual's interests and skills.
Key steps to become a day trader
Explore day trader education requirements
The educational requirements for a day trader are not clearly defined, as a specific degree is not mandatory. However, many day traders have degrees in fields such as Business, Finance, Accounting, Economics, or Computer Science. Top universities for aspiring day traders include the University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, University of Southern California, SUNY at Binghamton, and Villanova University. According to John Doe, a professional day trader, "A strong foundation in finance or a related field is crucial for understanding the complexities of day trading."
Most common day trader degrees
Bachelor's
67.5
%
Associate
13.4
%
Master's
9.9
%
Start to develop specific day trader skills
Day traders rely on technical analysis of price movement to trade derivatives and underlying securities. They analyze financial reports to determine fair value calculations and other financial metrics and monitor analyst calls to evaluate opportunities. They also follow trends between currency pairs to make a profit and use pricing models to assess risk. They use a variety of investment vehicles, including equities, options, commodity futures, and currency futures. They analyze market scenario and conditions with technical and financial analysis, trade near month futures contracts, and incorporate enterprise valuation, DCF modeling, balance volume, stochastics, and MACD. They also analyze data on foreign exchange markets and create a strategy based on market movements.
Skills Percentages Technical Analysis 14.74% Equities 9.82% Market Trends 6.02% Fundamental Analysis 5.79% Global Financial Markets 5.67% Show more
Research day trader duties and responsibilities
A day trader typically trades derivatives and underlying securities based on technical analysis of price movements. They research, time, purchase, and trade stocks, options, futures, and forex markets. They also monitor analyst conference calls, press releases, and financial reports to evaluate expectations and identify opportunities. Day traders analyze market fluctuations, determine market values, and assess risks. They also follow trends between currency pairs and trade near-month futures contracts on a daily basis. They develop and enact trading strategies to generate profits and manage portfolios.
- Day-Trade stocks on the NASDAQ and NYSE, and achieve positive returns through an analysis of trends base on moving averages.
- Manage business, sales, marketing, international negotiation and communication for a commodities business.
- Trade equities and derivatives for long term investment and short term trading purposes while utilizing proper risk management
- Engage in market speculation of various commodities, rapid scalping of mini futures contracts & ETF's.
Prepare your day trader resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your day trader resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a day trader resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Day Trader Resume templates
Build a professional
Day Trader
See AlsoWhat is the most profitable form of tradingAverage Income of a Day TraderDay Trader: Definition, Techniques, Strategies, and RisksThe Day Trading Success Rate - The Real Answer and Statistics - Trade That Swingresume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume.
Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Day Trader resume.Apply for day trader jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a day trader job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
Are you a Day Trader?
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Average day trader salary
The average Day Trader salary in the United States is $116,895 per year or $56 per hour. Day trader salaries range between $68,000 and $198,000 per year.
Average
Day Trader
Salary
$116,895Yearly
$56.20
hourly
What Am I Worth?
How do day traders rate their job?
5/5
Out of 1 Day Trader reviews, 100% were positive.
5 Stars
4 Stars
3 Stars
2 Stars
1 Star
Based On 1 Ratings
Overall Rating
5.0
Career Growth
3.0
Work/Life Balance
5.0
Pay / Salary
4.0
Day Trader reviews
5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2023
Pros
Flexible job to do other things during the day
Cons
You have to be careful or you could lose money
A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019
Cons
I am not sure yet.
Updated April 25, 2024
Zippia Team
Editorial Staff
The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.
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Updated April 25, 2024