Rank #3 · Exceptional opportunity
Quant jobs and salaries in Chicago
What is the quant market like in Chicago?
The global centre of gravity for high-frequency trading, options market making and low-latency engineering. Main demand is in hft, market making, options, quant trading, c++, with 7 of the firms we track running a Chicago desk. Compensation sits at roughly 97% of the New York benchmark for the equivalent role and seniority.
Compensation by role in Chicago
Mid-level total compensation, quoted in USD.
| Role | Range | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Quant Researcher | $223k – $2.4m | $461k |
| Quant Trader | $210k – $3.1m | $473k |
| Quant Developer | $175k – $1.2m | $330k |
| Quant Analyst | $121k – $679k | $223k |
| HFT / Low-Latency Engineer | $216k – $1.5m | $416k |
| Systematic Portfolio Manager | $485k – $15m | $1.2m |
Firms hiring in Chicago
Citadel / Citadel Securities
Multi-strategy platform
quant-researcher · quant-developer · quant-trader · portfolio-manager
Hudson River Trading
Proprietary trading
quant-researcher · quant-developer · hft-engineer
Jump Trading
Proprietary trading
hft-engineer · quant-researcher · quant-trader
Optiver
Market maker
quant-trader · quant-developer · hft-engineer · quant-researcher
IMC Trading
Market maker
quant-trader · quant-developer · hft-engineer
DRW
Proprietary trading
quant-trader · quant-researcher · hft-engineer · quant-developer
Susquehanna (SIG)
Market maker
quant-trader · quant-researcher · quant-developer
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.
KnowQaunt 2026.1 · Updated September 2026
These are indicative ranges pending first-party verification. They will be replaced by verified submissions as the Quant Salary Index dataset builds.
Chicago market report · KnowQaunt 2026.1