Some brokers, for example, charge you a fee if you decide to change investment firms. These account transfer fees can add up. Additionally, if your broker doesn't make any sales or buy any stock for you over a certain period of time, you could be charged an inactivity fee. What do stock brokers and investment brokers do? That depends what you're paying for, whether you know it or not. What Kind of Salary does a Stockbroker Make? According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median income for a stockbroker was $64,120 in 2018. (This is down from $71,720 in 2012). Full-service brokers solicit business and are paid mostly by commissions. This means they get compensated not according to how well your portfolio does, but by how often you trade.