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Key Takeaways The average Wall Street bonus hit a record $246,900 in 2025, about $15,000 higher than in 2024.
The total bonus pool climbed to $49.2 billion, fueled by a more than 30% jump in industry profits.
The richer payouts added an estimated $199 million in extra state income tax revenue.
The average Wall Street bonus reached $246,900 in 2025, a record high, as bank profits surged, per a recent report from New York State’s Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
DiNapoli reported this week that the average Wall Street bonus increased by 6% in 2025 compared to 2024. That means that the average bonus rose by almost $15,000.
Meanwhile, Wall Street’s pool of bonuses hit a record $49.2 billion in 2025, a 9% increase from 2024. These figures cover cash bonuses for Wall Street workers in New York City, excluding employees in other hubs such as Charlotte or Dallas.
“Wall Street saw strong performance for much of last year, despite all of the ongoing domestic and international upheavals,” DiNapoli said in a press release. “When Wall Street does well, it’s good for our state and city budgets, which are reliant on the industry’s significant tax contributions.”
Wall Street accounted for 19.4% of New York state’s tax collections and 8.4% of city tax revenue in fiscal year 2025, per DiNapoli. He stated that the 2025 bonuses will generate $199 more in state income tax revenue and $91 million more for the city when compared to 2024.
Why bonuses hit records
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