Hog traders buy and sell hogs for their own or others' accounts — managing positions, working markets, and earning from price spreads or commissions.
Hog Trader pay typically runs $59K–$99K at this level.
Workdays mix market analysis with trading activity — buying when value seems right, selling when prices reach targets. Travel to operations is common, and most traders maintain relationships across multiple producer regions.
Collaboration involves producers, packers, and sometimes futures brokers. What's harder than expected is the discipline required — hog markets are volatile, and overtrading is costly. Traders who can't resist trading every move tend to give back gains during normal market chop.
People who thrive tend to be knowledgeable about hog markets, emotionally disciplined, and comfortable with risk. If you've built expertise, the role often fits. People who can't hold positions through volatility, or who lack the cumulative market knowledge, usually find hog trading consumes capital faster than the financial returns suggest — the trade rewards patience and punishes reactivity.
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Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
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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.
Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths
View all Business Operations roles →Hog traders buy and sell hogs for their own or others' accounts — managing positions, working markets, and earning from price spreads or commissions.
Median pay for a Hog Trader is about $76K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $46K to $128K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Speaking, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Negotiation, and Reading Comprehension.
Most people in this role hold a bachelor's degree.
Closely related roles include Senior Origination Specialist, Hog Buyer, and Importer.
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