What is a hedge fund trader and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

The hedge fund trader determines the best way for the hedge fund to make a profit through investment. You will create the best investment strategy while you communicate with the investors, and you will sell the shares at the best possible price to make enough profits. To do this, you must have in-depth knowledge and understanding of the market and trends to be in the best position to take profits.

Hedge fund traders must have expert analytical and asset management skills. The educational requirement for the post is a degree in mathematics, science, or engineering or a relevant degree. MBA is an added advantage. Knowledge of investing and proficiency in using excel and financial statement analysis is important. Strong quantitative and legal skills are required for the post of hedge fund trader. The hedge fund trader earns an average of $49.83 an hour or $103,649 a year.

ScoreHedge Fund TraderUS Average
Salary
8.1

Avg. Salary $117,549

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
9.5

Growth Rate 10%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.21%

Asian 12.18%

Black or African American 5.43%

Hispanic or Latino 11.24%

Unknown 4.12%

White 66.82%

Gender

female 34.25%

male 65.75%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Stress Level
9.5

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
3.5

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Hedge Fund Trader career paths

Key steps to become a hedge fund trader

  1. Explore hedge fund trader education requirements

    Most common hedge fund trader degrees

    Bachelor's

    83.8 %

    Master's

    9.4 %

    Associate

    5.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific hedge fund trader skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Hedge Funds15.08%
    Macro13.77%
    Derivative8.32%
    Fixed Income7.02%
    Bloomberg6.53%
  3. Research hedge fund trader duties and responsibilities

    • Manage business, sales, marketing, international negotiation and communication for a commodities business.
    • Trade ETF baskets base on NYSE floor position (long/short).
    • Assist with the conversion of all securities to trade directly through the NSCC.
    • Perform critical maintenance of new & existing securities in multiple operational systems by using Bloomberg.
  4. Get hedge fund trader experience

  5. Prepare your hedge fund trader resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your hedge fund 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 hedge fund trader resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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  6. Apply for hedge fund trader jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a hedge fund trader job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Hedge Fund Trader Job

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Average hedge fund trader salary

The average Hedge Fund Trader salary in the United States is $117,549 per year or $57 per hour. Hedge fund trader salaries range between $68,000 and $201,000 per year.

Average Hedge Fund Trader Salary
$117,549 Yearly
$56.51 hourly

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Hedge Fund Trader reviews

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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


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.