Markets
Is Shanghai a good place to work as a quant?
KnowQuant research deskUpdated 1 September 2026Method 2026.1
Short answer
Shanghai ranks #17 of 17 in our quant hiring index, rated strong / niche for opportunity, with a quant researcher median of ¥1.9m.
Shanghai desks exist to trade China's onshore markets directly rather than through offshore access, and hiring reflects that: local market microstructure knowledge and Mandarin are effectively prerequisites. Teams are small, mandates are specific, and the firms present are usually the same names running Hong Kong books. It is a specialist market rather than a volume one, and candidates tend to move within it rather than into it.
Demand concentrates in china onshore strategies, market making, systematic trading. The employers our desk tracks in the market are jump, man-group, running china a-shares, market making, systematic trading, futures.
Right to work: Work permits are employer sponsored and workable, though many seats go to candidates already based in Greater China. Check the current official position before planning a move.
Go deeper
Cite these figures
KnowQuant Quant Compensation Benchmark, Q3 2026 edition, method 2026.1. https://www.know-quant.com/answers/is-shanghai-a-good-place-to-work-as-a-quant
Free to quote and republish with attribution and a link to the source page, under our terms. Method 2026.1, last reviewed 1 September 2026. The methodology sets out how each band is built and what it excludes.
Research desk
Talk this through with the research desk
Ask what a specific firm pays at your level, how a desk hires, or where your profile sits. One reply from the research desk, in confidence, no obligation.
More on markets
Is London or New York better for a quant career?
New York pays more in gross terms, with a quant researcher median of $475k against £319k in London, but London gives broader access to European markets and easier visa routes for many candidates.
Is New York a good place to work as a quant?
New York ranks #1 of 17 in our quant hiring index, rated exceptional for opportunity, with a quant researcher median of $475k.
Is London a good place to work as a quant?
London ranks #2 of 17 in our quant hiring index, rated exceptional for opportunity, with a quant researcher median of £319k.
Is Chicago a good place to work as a quant?
Chicago ranks #3 of 17 in our quant hiring index, rated exceptional for opportunity, with a quant researcher median of $461k.
Is Singapore a good place to work as a quant?
Singapore ranks #4 of 17 in our quant hiring index, rated very strong for opportunity, with a quant researcher median of S$522k.
Is Hong Kong a good place to work as a quant?
Hong Kong ranks #5 of 17 in our quant hiring index, rated very strong for opportunity, with a quant researcher median of HK$3.1m.
Methodology
Figures are expressed as annual total compensation (base salary plus expected performance bonus) in the reference market's local currency, converted from a US dollar base. They describe typical market ranges rather than any individual offer, and exclude sign-on payments, deferred equity and carried interest. Portfolio-manager figures reflect formulaic profit-share arrangements and are therefore far more dispersed than any other role.
KnowQuantIndex 2026.1 · Updated September 2026
Modelled bands describe the market, not an individual offer. Where an employer states pay, the stated figure is used and labelled as such.