Updated June 25, 2024
5 min read
A market maker is a professional who buys and sells financial instruments, such as equities, futures, and options, to maintain market liquidity. They analyze market conditions using fundamental and technical analysis and employ various hedging strategies with debt and equity instruments to manage risk. Market makers also establish electronic markets and provide liquidity in options markets, while collaborating with technology teams to optimize trading software. They develop trading strategies, manage personal portfolios, and educate junior traders. Additionally, market makers specialize in specific indices and focus on risk management using volatility and skew parameters.
How long does it takes to become a market maker?
It typically takes around 5-6 years to become a market maker:
- Years 1-4: Obtain a bachelor's degree in a relevant field, such as finance, economics, or business. During this time, you will learn about market structures, financial instruments, and trading strategies.
- Years 5-6: Accumulate the necessary work experience, which typically requires 4-6 years. During this time, you will learn about market trends, risk management, and trading execution. You may also receive on-site training for several months and on-the-job training for up to six months.
ScoreMarket MakerUS Average
Salary
7.8
Avg. Salary $108,335
Avg. Salary $59,228
Stability Level
6.7
Growth Rate 10%
Growth Rate 0.3%
Diversity
6.1
Race
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.21%
Asian 9.91%
Black or African American 5.74%
Hispanic or Latino 12.07%
Unknown 4.14%
White 67.92%
Gender
female 7.92%
male 92.08%
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
6.7
Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity Level
8.6
Complexity Level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work Life Balance
6.7
Work Life balance is good
6.4 - fair
Market Maker career paths
Market makers can transition into various roles, such as traders, finance analysts, or portfolio managers. They may also move up the corporate ladder, becoming managers or even managing directors. Some market makers may choose to start their own business, becoming owners.
Key steps to become a market maker
Explore market maker education requirements
The educational requirements for a market maker are primarily a Bachelor's degree. According to a study, 88.17% of market makers hold a Bachelor's degree. The most common fields of study include Finance, Economics, Business, Political Science, and Accounting. The top schools for market makers are the University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, University of Southern California, SUNY at Binghamton, and Villanova University. However, a small percentage of market makers also hold a Doctorate degree, approximately 6.03%. Despite this, a High School Diploma or an Associate's degree is also found among market makers, albeit a very small percentage.
Most common market maker degrees
Bachelor's
86.8
%
Master's
8.4
%
Associate
2.0
%
See AlsoCrypto Market Making BotStart to develop specific market maker skills
Market makers use technical analysis and charting to identify trends in various products traded on the NYBOT. They manage trading books, analyze market conditions, and make decisions to buy or sell equities using fundamental and technical analysis. Market makers also hedge volatility positions with equity/debt instruments, such as CDS, convertible bonds, and variance swaps.
Skills Percentages Equity Options 11.22% Portfolio Risk 8.96% NASD 7.41% Financial Markets 6.45% Manage Risk 6.21% Show more
Complete relevant market maker training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New market makers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a market maker based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real market maker resumes.
Research market maker duties and responsibilities
A market maker is responsible for analyzing market conditions and making informed decisions to buy or sell equities using fundamental and technical analysis. They manage trading books, price and risk manage multiple positions in corporate derivatives, and establish electronic markets in all equity, index, and ETF products.
- Manage and critiqu all trades execute on NYMEX trading floor via computer system.
- Trade several equities and options names, managing all risk, capital and executing trades using electronic screen base software/technology.
- Dissect and manage complex derivative position risks, manage risks and interpret complex financial documents.
- Price and risk manage multiple positions in corporate derivatives, including accelerate share buyback programs and long-date convertible bond/call spread overlays.
Get market maker experience
Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become a market maker. The most common roles before becoming a market maker include trader, trading assistant team lead and clerk.
Prepare your market maker resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your market maker 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 market maker resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Market Maker Resume templates
Build a professional
Market Maker
resume 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 Market Maker resume.Apply for market maker jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a market maker 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
How Did You Land Your First Market Maker Job
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Average market maker salary
The average Market Maker salary in the United States is $108,335 per year or $52 per hour. Market maker salaries range between $62,000 and $188,000 per year.
Average
Market Maker
Salary
$108,335Yearly
$52.08
hourly
What Am I Worth?
How do market makers rate their job?
Updated June 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 June 25, 2024