Financial sector workers in New York City collected their largest average bonuses on record in 2025, with payouts reaching $246,900 per person, according to a Thursday report from New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
This represents a 6% jump from 2024, translating to nearly $15,000 more per bonus recipient. The total bonus pool for securities industry workers expanded to an all-time high of $49.2 billion, marking a 9% increase year-over-year.
DiNapoli attributed these hefty increases to Wall Street firms’ profit surge of more than 30% in 2025, which climbed to $65.1 billion.
“Wall Street saw strong performance for much of last year, despite all of the ongoing domestic and international upheavals,” DiNapoli said in a prepared release.
Despite experiencing several dramatic market selloffs triggered by concerns ranging from President Donald Trump’s tariff policies to interest rate fluctuations and potential artificial intelligence sector overvaluation, 2025 proved lucrative for investors who weathered the volatility.
The S&P 500, a cornerstone of many Americans’ retirement portfolios, delivered nearly 18% returns in 2025 and reached an all-time peak on December 24, marking its third consecutive year of substantial gains.
Chris Connors, a managing director at compensation consulting firm Johnson Associates, expressed little surprise at the bonus figures given Wall Street’s trajectory.
“I think 2025 was a great year, probably the best year since 2021 for many firms on Wall Street. Trading, in particular, had an exceptional year,” Connors said.
Connors emphasized that bonus payments constitute a substantial portion of total compensation for financial services professionals, as the industry heavily depends on performance-based incentives.
The financial sector serves as a crucial economic engine for New York City and generates significant tax revenue for both municipal and state governments. DiNapoli projected that the 2025 bonus payments will produce an additional $199 million in state income tax collections and $91 million extra for the city compared to the prior year.
“However, we are seeing slower job growth, and geopolitical conflicts have global repercussions that pose extraordinary risks for the short- and long-term outlook on the financial sector and for broader economic markets,” DiNapoli cautioned.
