A low-latency engineer optimises the path from market data to order at nanosecond resolution, working across C++, kernel bypass, network hardware and FPGA. Chicago and Amsterdam total compensation typically runs from about $200,000 at entry level to $800,000 or more for specialists with proven latency results.
Live vacancies
23
Employers hiring
8
Market guides
17
Seniority bands
4
How much does a hft / low-latency engineer earn?
A low-latency engineer optimises the path from market data to order at nanosecond resolution, working across C++, kernel bypass, network hardware and FPGA. Chicago and Amsterdam total compensation typically runs from about $200,000 at entry level to $800,000 or more for specialists with proven latency results. 23 hft / low-latency engineer roles are open right now across 8 employers and 12 cities we track.
KnowQuant research desk·Updated 1 September 2026·23 live vacancies from 8 employers, plus 4 modelled seniority bands across 17 hub markets·Method 2026.1
Where hft / low-latency engineer demand sits today
Vacancy counts come straight from the career pages of the employers we track and change daily. The pay tables below are modelled bands, dated separately, so you can see demand and money side by side without confusing the two.
Live vacancies
23
Open roles matching this function
Employers hiring
8
Distinct firms with an open seat
Doctorate preferred
2
Vacancies stating a PhD preference
Open roles by city
London
3
New York
3
Chicago
3
Shanghai
2
dublin
2
Hong Kong
2
tel-aviv
1
Austin
1
Read live from each employer's own career page. Last full refresh September 2026. Pay ranges shown further down are modelled and labelled where an employer has not stated a figure.
By city
Modelled total compensation range across every seniority, with the modelled reference estimate for the role, in each market's local currency.
HFT / Low-Latency Engineer total compensation by city, September 2026
Annual median wage across all employers, not just quant firms, for the government occupations closest to a hft / low-latency engineer. Quant-firm pay usually sits well above these medians; use them as a floor and a regional guide, not as a quant benchmark.
New York reference market, US dollars. Base salary and total compensation.
HFT / Low-Latency Engineer compensation by seniority in New York, September 2026
Level
Experience
Base
Total comp
Engineer
0-3 yrs
$150k – $200k
$200k – $350k
Senior Engineer
3-6 yrs
$190k – $260k
$300k – $550k
Staff / Specialist
6-10 yrs
$230k – $320k
$450k – $900k
Lead / Head of Trading Tech
10+ yrs
$275k – $400k
$600k – $1.4m
About the role
This is the most specialised engineering discipline in trading, and the smallest talent pool. The work spans cache-aware C++, kernel bypass networking, hardware timestamping and increasingly FPGA implementation of the hot path. The pool is shallow and the edge directly measurable, and our modelled bands put proven specialists above the general engineering ladder. We hold no measured comparison with trader compensation.
Sourced answers to the questions people bring to this page, each with the figure, the date and the caveat.
How much does a hft / low-latency engineer earn?
A low-latency engineer optimises the path from market data to order at nanosecond resolution, working across C++, kernel bypass, network hardware and FPGA. Chicago and Amsterdam total compensation typically runs from about $200,000 at entry level to $800,000 or more for specialists with proven latency results. The New York band runs $200k – $1.4m in annual total compensation, with a modelled reference estimate of $385k. Figures are base salary plus expected performance bonus, excluding sign-on, deferred equity and carry.
What does a hft / low-latency engineer earn at entry level?
An entry hire (Engineer, 0-3 years) is typically offered $150k to $200k in base salary and $200k to $350k in total compensation in New York. At the senior end (Lead / Head of Trading Tech, 10+ years) total compensation reaches $1.4m.
Where is the best-paid market for a hft / low-latency engineer?
New York leads on headline modelled total compensation at $385k, with London at £264k. Both are modelled reference estimates for the role, not observed medians. Bands are shown in each market's local currency across 17 hub markets, so tax treatment and cost of living still change the net picture materially.
What skills do firms hire low-latency engineers for?
The recurring requirements are C++, FPGA / Verilog, Kernel bypass, Network engineering, Linux internals. Typical backgrounds are embedded and systems engineering, computer engineering / hardware, games and real-time systems. Of the live vacancies we classify for this role, 2 ask for a PhD.
How many low-latency engineers roles are open right now?
We currently classify 23 open hft / low-latency engineer vacancies across 8 firms and 12 markets. The count is rebuilt from employer career pages rather than reposted listings, so it reflects roles that are genuinely open.
Can I quote these hft / low-latency engineer figures?
Yes, with attribution and a link. Method 2026.1, last reviewed September 2026. Cite the dated edition rather than the live page if you need the number to stay stable: KnowQuant Quant Compensation Benchmark, Q3 2026 edition, method 2026.1. https://www.know-quant.com/salary/hft-engineer
HFT / Low-Latency Engineer head to head
Pay, entry route and day to day work for HFT / Low-Latency Engineer set against the roles candidates choose between.
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.
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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.
KnowQuant·Index 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.
KnowQuant·Index 2026.1 · Updated September 2026
KnowQuant · Publishes indicative market ranges for information purposes and does not provide financial advice.