Trading commodities futures and physical product for a firm's own book or on behalf of clients — grains, energy, metals, soft commodities. The work is fast, technical (basis spreads, carry, contango), and the daily P&L makes the role addictive or exhausting depending on the day.
Your days center on taking positions in commodity markets — energy, agriculture, metals, or softs — for a firm's book, a hedge fund, or sometimes your own account. Most mornings start with market prep before the open, reviewing overnight moves, news flow, and positioning, then the session itself is a mix of execution and risk management until the close.
The workflow blends analysis and conviction with real-time execution discipline — you're building a view on supply-demand fundamentals, then expressing it through futures, options, or physical positions while managing the risk that you're wrong. The best traders develop a feel for when the market is pricing something incorrectly rather than just reacting to price movement.
The key challenge is managing drawdowns without losing conviction or discipline. Losing streaks happen, and the firms that survive separate traders who manage risk well from those who double down. Your daily P&L is visible to everyone, which means the pressure is direct and unrelenting.
An honest look at who tends to thrive in this role — and who might find it challenging.
Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
Trading commodities futures and physical product for a firm's own book or on behalf of clients — grains, energy, metals, soft commodities. The work is fast, technical (basis spreads, carry, contango), and the daily P&L makes the role addictive or exhausting depending on the day.
Median pay for a Commodities Trader is about $78K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $47K to $215K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Judgment and Decision Making, and Speaking.
Most people in this role hold a bachelor's degree.
Employment in this field is projected to grow about 3.3% through 2034, with roughly 472,300 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Junior Commodities Trader, Sales Trader, and Commodities Clerk.
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