Pay
How do quant bonuses work?
KnowQuant research deskUpdated 1 September 2026Method 2026.1
Short answer
Most quant compensation is delivered as an annual performance bonus rather than base salary, and at senior levels the bonus is usually the larger half of the package.
Every figure we publish is base salary plus expected performance bonus. As an illustration, an entry quant researcher in New York is around $150k to $200k base against $230k to $400k total.
Sign-on payments, deferred equity and carried interest are excluded from our bands. They can be material at senior level, so a stated total from an employer is not directly comparable with ours unless you strip them out.
Profit-share seats, mainly portfolio management, work differently again: pay is a formula on realised profit and loss, which is why that band is the widest in the index.
Go deeper
Cite these figures
KnowQuant Quant Compensation Benchmark, Q3 2026 edition, method 2026.1. https://www.know-quant.com/answers/quant-bonus-structure
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
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More on pay
Which quant role pays the most?
Portfolio management pays the most at the top end, with a New York band reaching $15m, though the outcomes are the widest and least certain in the industry.
How much does a quant researcher earn in New York?
A quant researcher in New York earns a median of $475k in annual total compensation, within a full band of $230k to $2.5m.
How much does a quant researcher earn in London?
A quant researcher in London earns a median of £319k in annual total compensation, within a full band of £154k to £1.7m.
How much does a quant researcher earn in Chicago?
A quant researcher in Chicago earns a median of $461k in annual total compensation, within a full band of $223k to $2.4m.
How much does a quant researcher earn in Singapore?
A quant researcher in Singapore earns a median of S$522k in annual total compensation, within a full band of S$253k to S$2.7m.
How much does a quant researcher earn in Hong Kong?
A quant researcher in Hong Kong earns a median of HK$3.1m in annual total compensation, within a full band of HK$1.5m to HK$17m.
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.