Top 10 Careers in Stock Market (With Duties and Salary)

The stock market provides a platform for many interesting job roles in the domain of finance. With a fair amount of expertise and experience, professionals in this field can make huge earnings within short spans of time. If you are interested in a stock market career, it may be beneficial for you to examine the variety of job roles this field has to offer. In this article, we examine the top 10 careers in the stock market, their prospects and earning potential.

What are the career options in stock trading?

One of the well-known job roles associated with the stock market is that of a stockbroker. Brokers are stock market experts who use their market knowledge to assist clients and facilitate transactions. Other than brokerage, there are several other lucrative opportunities for professionals in stock trading. Some popular avenues include data analytics, consultancy, research and portfolio management services. The skills, qualifications and on-the-job training required for these job roles vary greatly.

For instance, research professionals gather and compile information to generate inferences and observations, while analysts interpret stock market data and generate useful insights relating to market performance and risk. On the other hand, administrative professionals manage hedge funds and mutual funds and execute financial strategies to improve the performance of client portfolios. Professionals in consultant roles may interact regularly with clients and other professionals to help them stay up-to-date on major developments and opportunities in the industry.

Related: Guide: How to Choose a Career

Top 10 careers in stock market

Consider these job roles if you are interested in starting a career in the stock market:

1. Market research analyst

National average salary: ₹2,32,437 per year

Primary duties: Companies require market research analysts to collect and compile consumer and competitor data. Analysts interpret this data to provide useful insights to their companies or clients. In the stock market, a research analyst may research the performance history of a company or its stock to help a buyer make an investment decision.

They may also perform research to help companies with business processes like expansion and IPOs (Initial Public Offerings). Equity and stock often behave like products or commodities, whose performance is affected by demand and supply factors. Market research analysts use their expertise to study these market forces and develop curated investment portfolios and financial strategies to navigate a market at any given point of time.

2. Dealer

National average salary: ₹2,63,847 per year

Primary duties: Dealers buy, hold and sell shares and equity on a stock exchange. They try to procure stock prior to a demand surge and sell it to interested buyers at higher prices to turn a profit. A dealer makes trades on their own account and for their own financial benefit. A broker on the other hand only facilitates such trades to receive a commission. The difference between dealers and traders is that a dealer operates as a business and usually has a larger scale of operations.

For example, a trader may purchase 100 shares of a stock and sell them all for a small profit, which they may invest further or withdraw. A dealer, on the other hand, procures a significantly larger amount of the stock (for instance, 10,000 shares) and conducts transactions with multiple traders and buyers to generate a much larger profit. A major portion of this profit may go into further investment and procurement of equity.

3. Trader

National average salary: ₹2,82,428 per year

Primary duties: In the stock market, traders are individuals who purchase and sell equities and shares regularly for financial gains. They strategise and identify entry and exit points for share values and make the necessary transactions to maximise profits. They try to reap financial rewards from short-term market fluctuations, and this makes their practice different from that of investors. Investors tend to have larger starting capital than traders and usually follow long-term financial strategies to maximise their profits. Trading has huge earning potential but involves a considerable amount of risk.

4. Investment consultant

National average salary: ₹4,15,272 per year

Primary duties: Investment consultants use their knowledge of equity and market trends to help their clients make good investment decisions. Investors may expect short-term or long-term financial gains, depending on their investment strategy. Investment consultants understand the specific financial goals of their clients and share valuable information regarding stock prices, stock performance, company reputation and performance history. They help investors develop a better understanding of their financial situation and the consequences of their decisions. They may work independently, or with financial institutions like banks, to assess the investment plans of clients.

5. Financial analyst

National average salary: ₹4,25,941 per year

Primary duties: Financial analysts are professionals who collect, organise and interpret financial data to provide forecasts, track metrics and create simulations or financial models. Companies often require the help of analysts to make consequential financial decisions. Analysts provide insights and inferences to help their clients get a comprehensive understanding of market scenarios before making large investments. Professionals in this domain may work independently or as part of the regular staff of a company.

6. Fundamental analyst

National average salary: ₹5,09,042 per year

Primary duties: Fundamental analysts are professionals who perform holistic research on a company, a stock, or a market to find the inherent value or risks associated with financial decisions and transactions. They may analyse a range of factors and indicators to generate these insights, including financial health, growth potential, overall capital, return on equity and profit margins.

7. Risk analyst

National average salary: ₹5,23,965 per year

Primary duties: Risk analysts help companies and clients assess the financial and temporal costs associated with major business decisions. On behalf of companies, they study market trends and perform investigations on clients and their financial records to evaluate risks involved in doing business with them. In the stock market, their expertise is often required in scenarios where companies or investors want to make major changes to their portfolios or holdings. Risk analysts try to paint an objective picture, weighing the pros and cons of a business situation in detail before giving advice.

8. Equity analyst

National average salary: ₹5,67,701 per year

Primary duties: Equity analysts assess a company or stock's performance history and analyse market trends to predict its performance for future periods. They use their specialised knowledge and understanding of finance to help clients make informed decisions relating to transactions and investments. They may also periodically track indicators to monitor the performance of stocks that their companies or clients hold. This job role involves heavy research and requires advanced analytical skills and business intelligence, along with financial and legal literacy.

9. Investment banker

National average salary: ₹5,97,078 per year

Primary duties: Investment banking is a subset of banking operations that enables companies or individual investors to raise money and resources for business activities and increase capital. Professionals in this domain are experts in economics and finance and devise methods and strategies to help clients meet their financial goals. They may act as a consultant and provide advice, or may even stand in as an intermediary to facilitate transactions following a systematic pre-determined strategy.

Read more: What Is an Investment Banker? Definition and Career Advice

10. Technical analyst

National average salary: ₹7,59,023 per year

Primary duties: A technical analyst is a professional statistician who evaluates investment decisions by studying market data and technical indicators. They try to understand market behaviour and price movements using raw data and assume an advisory role to their clients at times. The technical indicators they use are tools related to methodologies involved in studying different aspects of a market or stock, like volatility, strength, demand and potential. Prominent indicators include Bollinger Bands, MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence), MFI (Money Flow Index) and RSI (Relative Strength Index).

Stock market career prospects

A career in the stock market has potential benefits and underlying risks. Stock markets are volatile and unpredictable business environments. To perform well in a stock market career, you may require a thorough understanding of economics and finance concepts, along with soft skills like patience and determination.

Expertise, skill and experience greatly outweigh academic credentials in this domain. Hence, professionals require a good track record and some relevant work experience to pursue higher-level jobs in reputed companies. In addition to working for a company, the stock market also provides ample opportunity for independent work and entrepreneurship. Since the advent of the internet and online trading platforms, the market has been democratised to an extent, resulting in huge spikes in the number of players and stakeholders. These are some prominent employment sectors for stock market professionals:

• Financial consultancies

• Insurance companies

• Research institutions

• Media organisations

• Stockbroking firms

• Mutual and pension fund providers

• Multi-national corporations

• Banks and other financial institutions

• Independent trading

Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organisation and a candidate's experience, academic background and location.