Runs a book of capital at a hedge fund, deciding what to buy, sell and short, and is paid largely on the profits that book produces. eFinancialCareers Compensation & Lifestyle Report puts typical pay at $2,100,000 a year (2024). BLS does not publish separate figures for investment fund managers; it counts them within investment fund manager (SOC 11-3031), whose median pay is $166,570 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 11-3031
- Management
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager in four numbers
- Median pay
- $166,570a year, or $80.08/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $94KTop 10% $323K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +9.7%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+9.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +9.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 65,600879,700 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025879.7K
- Projected 2035964.6K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 879.7K Projected 2035 964.6K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Bachelor's32.7%
- Master's63.3%
- Post-master’s certificate2%
- Professional degree2%
Highest education held by investment fund managers Segment Value Bachelor's 32.7% Master's 63.3% Post-master’s certificate 2% Professional degree 2%
Also advertised as: Hedge Fund PM, Pod Portfolio Manager, Multi-Manager Portfolio Manager, Long/Short Equity Portfolio Manager, Hedge Fund Sector Head.
Pay
How much do Investment Fund Managers make?
Industry-reported pay
$2,100,000
Average total compensation (salary plus bonus) for managing director-equivalent hedge fund professionals, who are typically portfolio managers; salary averaged about a tenth of the total.
Source: eFinancialCareers Compensation & Lifestyle Report, 2024 (estimate from several industry sources). This is not a BLS figure: BLS counts investment fund managers within investment fund manager, whose pay is shown below. eFinancialCareers: Pay at hedge funds (Compensation & Lifestyle Report, 2024 pay) · eFinancialCareers: Hedge fund pay (Compensation & Lifestyle Report 2026)
Every hedge fund portfolio manager in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$166,570
Middle half earn $125,490 to $219,980
- 10th
- $94,310
- 25th
- $125,490
- 75th
- $219,980
- 90th
- $323,270
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $94,310 |
| 25th | $125,490 |
| Median | $166,570 |
| 75th | $219,980 |
| 90th | $323,270 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $166,570
- Median hourly wage
- $80.08/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $186,910
- People employed
- 841,710
Versus all US occupations
At $166,570, Investment Fund Managers earn 227% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $115,590 a year.
Versus management occupations
Inside the Management group, where the middle occupation pays $126,060, this is 32% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $323,270 or more while the bottom 10% earn $94,310, a gap of 3.4×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 94% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New York pays the most at $219,880, and still leads at $203,742 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Investment Fund Managers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New York | $219,880 | $203,742 | 80,810 |
| 2Massachusetts | $206,760 | $195,505 | 26,150 |
| 3New Jersey | $199,110 | $182,997 | 32,510 |
| 4District of Columbia | $188,880 | $171,864 | 8,930 |
| 5Virginia | $185,220 | $183,197 | 20,850 |
| 6Colorado | $182,690 | $177,279 | 10,640 |
| 7Delaware | $181,580 | $181,929 | 2,810 |
| 8California | $180,770 | $163,268 | 93,310 |
| 9Washington | $174,840 | $163,382 | 12,930 |
| 10Connecticut | $174,830 | $168,739 | 20,040 |
Job outlook
Is Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +9.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Investment Fund Managers | +9.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Investment Fund Managers to change 9.7% over 2025–2035, roughly 2.8× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 84,900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 65,600 openings are projected each year, 7.5% of the 879,700 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager
Most hedge fund portfolio managers spend years as analysts before they get capital of their own. A common path runs from investment banking or equity research into a hedge fund analyst seat, then to senior analyst and finally a small allocation that grows if results are good. A bachelor's degree in finance, economics, engineering or a quantitative field is typical, and many hold an MBA or the CFA charter.
There is no license for the role itself, though people at registered advisers often hold FINRA qualifications from earlier jobs. What matters most is a documented track record: the pitches you made, the positions you ran and how they performed. Platforms hire portfolio managers who can show consistent risk-adjusted returns and who can explain exactly why they made money.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
5 years or more
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Considerable preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as investment fund managers.
- Master's Degree63.3%
- Bachelor's Degree32.7%
- Post-Master's Certificate2%
- First Professional Degree2%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | 63.3% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 32.7% |
| Post-Master's Certificate | 2% |
| First Professional Degree | 2% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager do?
Hedge fund portfolio managers are handed a pool of capital and judged on how much they make with it. At a multi-manager platform they run their own team, or pod, inside strict loss limits. At a single-manager fund they may run the whole firm's money or a sector sleeve. They build positions in stocks, bonds, credit, currencies or derivatives, decide how big each bet should be, and hedge out the risks they do not want.
Much of the work is research and judgment. A portfolio manager reads company filings, talks to management teams and industry experts, reviews models built by analysts, and decides when the market has a price wrong. They watch risk reports through the day, cut losing positions quickly, and explain performance to the firm's risk team and, at smaller funds, to investors.
Day-to-day tasks
- Decide which securities to buy, sell or short and how large each position should be
- Set and stay within loss limits and risk budgets agreed with the firm
- Direct analysts' research and challenge their financial models
- Meet company management teams and industry experts to test investment ideas
- Hedge unwanted market, sector and factor exposures
- Review daily profit and loss and attribution reports
- Hire and manage a small team of analysts and traders
- Report performance and strategy to risk managers and investors
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Portfolio managers work on trading floors and in research offices, mostly in New York, Greenwich, Chicago, Boston, Miami and San Francisco. Days start before the market opens and often run into the evening for research and earnings calls. The job is sedentary but high pressure, because a bad stretch can mean losing the allocation.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Speaking3.9
- Active Learning3.8
- Writing3.6
- Monitoring3.5
- Mathematics3.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 3.9 |
| Active Learning | 3.8 |
| Writing | 3.6 |
| Monitoring | 3.5 |
| Mathematics | 3.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Complex Problem Solving3.8
- Systems Analysis3.4
- Systems Evaluation3.3
- Time Management3.3
- Coordination3.1
- Persuasion3.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.8 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.4 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.3 |
| Time Management | 3.3 |
| Coordination | 3.1 |
| Persuasion | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Accounting software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code EIC) built on O*NET's Investment Fund Manager profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 1 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 7 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Enterprising7.0
- Conventional5.4
- Investigative4.5
- Social2.7
- Artistic1.6
- Realistic1.5
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager
O*NET related occupations
- Management
- Business and Financial Operations
- Business and Financial Operations
- Business and Financial Operations
- Sales and Related
Security, Commodity, and Financial Services Sales Agent
$78,660median a year
Most earn $48K to $213K
+1.4%Bachelor's - Business and Financial Operations
More management careers
Median annual pay, with investment fund managers highlighted
- IT Manager$175,140
- Marketing Manager$166,790
- Financial Manager$166,570
- Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager$166,570
- Human Resources Manager$149,280
- Sales Manager$148,270
- Construction Manager$114,990
- Supply Chain Manager$107,230
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager$69,990
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| IT Manager | $175,140 |
| Marketing Manager | $166,790 |
| Financial Manager | $166,570 |
| Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager | $166,570 |
| Human Resources Manager | $149,280 |
| Sales Manager | $148,270 |
| Construction Manager | $114,990 |
| Supply Chain Manager | $107,230 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager | $69,990 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager appears on
Questions
Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager: frequently asked questions
How much do Investment Fund Managers make?
eFinancialCareers Compensation & Lifestyle Report reports $2,100,000 (average total compensation (salary plus bonus) for managing director-equivalent hedge fund professionals, who are typically portfolio managers; salary averaged about a tenth of the total, 2024). BLS does not publish a separate wage for investment fund managers. It counts them within investment fund manager, whose median pay is $166,570 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $125,490 and $219,980, and the top 10% earn $323,270 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Investment Fund Managers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as considerable preparation. Employers typically expect 5 years or more of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 63.3% hold master's degree.
Is Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 9.7% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 65,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager do?
Hedge fund portfolio managers are handed a pool of capital and judged on how much they make with it. A typical task: decide which securities to buy, sell or short and how large each position should be. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Business intelligence and data analysis software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Investment Fund Managers the most?
The highest state medians for Investment Fund Managers are New York ($219,880), Massachusetts ($206,760), New Jersey ($199,110) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager?
O*NET scores Investment Fund Managers highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESTJ, ENTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.