Trending Content - Sales and Trading Forum
Career Resources
WSO Free Modeling Series - Now Open Through
June 30, 2026
9 Free Financial Modeling Lessons
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
High Finance Applications
Guaranteed
Get at least one offer GUARANTEED
- 1:1 support
- 92% success rate
- 2,000+ mentor network
- Unlimited Live bootcamps
- AI for resume + LinkedIn
- Networking automation tools
- HireVue simulation tool
- Full course library
- Private Slack community
- 20hrs of mocks
- + much more...
In the realm of Sales and Trading (S&T), the earnings potential can indeed vary significantly across different roles such as sales, trading, and structuring. Here's a breakdown based on the WSO Dataset:
Sales: Individuals in sales roles within S&T are essentially B2B salespeople. Their compensation is heavily influenced by their ability to maintain and grow relationships with clients, as well as their skill in understanding and selling financial products. The earnings potential in sales can be substantial, especially for those who excel in building strong client networks and have a deep understanding of market dynamics.
Trading: Traders are the market makers, and their earnings are closely tied to their ability to manage risk and capitalize on market movements. The top performers in trading can earn significantly, often more than their counterparts in sales or structuring, due to the high stakes and the direct impact of their decisions on profit and loss. However, it's important to note that these top performers are becoming increasingly rare.
Structuring: Structurers are involved in creating complex financial products. While the document doesn't provide specific details on the earnings potential for structurers, it can be inferred that their compensation would be closely aligned with the complexity and demand for the products they develop, as well as their ability to innovate within the regulatory and market constraints.
Overall, while there are differences in how compensation is structured across these roles, all can offer substantial earnings potential, especially for top performers. However, it's also important to consider the broader trends within the S&T space, such as the general decline in the sector and the increasing importance of having "real skin in the game" as mentioned in the WSO Dataset. These factors can influence long-term earnings potential across all roles in S&T.
Sources: Sales and Trading - A Comprehensive Guide, 2019/2020 Sales & Trading Bonus Discussion, Sales in S&T - What's the catch? (best job in banking)??, Conversation with an Equities Sales Trader, Sales vs Trading
good question
Vitae amet id a quod autem. Id rem ullam commodi nam consequuntur mollitia. Et est quo odit qui autem dolores sequi.
Odio qui accusamus inventore nisi dolorem sit. Qui aut enim qui sit totam voluptatum.
Molestiae qui rerum libero deserunt animi accusamus sunt eos. Ut corporis sapiente numquam minus adipisci accusantium cumque exercitationem. Esse praesentium vitae placeat. Et impedit iure optio. Praesentium laudantium rerum aut rerum tempora deserunt ut.
Perferendis ipsum qui quia consequatur iste tempora. Ullam dignissimos recusandae error mollitia perspiciatis. Quam minus quasi et qui quaerat occaecati dolorem. Voluptatibus occaecati rerum vel aut fugit omnis. Blanditiis quo incidunt minus commodi tenetur. Harum neque commodi ipsum amet.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...