Nanoseconds as a competitive edge
HFT / Low-Latency Engineer salary
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.
By city
Total compensation range and median in each market's local currency.
| Market | Currency | Range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | USD | $200k – $1.4m | $385k |
| London | GBP | £137k – £961k | £264k |
| Chicago | USD | $216k – $1.5m | $416k |
| Singapore | SGD | S$220k – S$1.5m | S$423k |
| Hong Kong | HKD | HK$1.3m – HK$9.3m | HK$2.6m |
| Amsterdam | EUR | €151k – €1.1m | €290k |
| San Francisco | USD | $190k – $1.3m | $366k |
| Paris | EUR | €125k – €876k | €241k |
| Zurich / Geneva | CHF | CHF 158k – CHF 1.1m | CHF 305k |
| Dubai / Abu Dhabi | AED | AED 646k – AED 4.5m | AED 1.2m |
By seniority
New York reference market, US dollars. Base salary and total compensation.
| 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. Because the pool is so shallow and the edge so directly measurable, compensation for proven specialists breaks the normal engineering ceiling and approaches trader levels at the leading market makers.
Skills firms hire for
- C++
- FPGA / Verilog
- Kernel bypass
- Network engineering
- Linux internals
- Hardware profiling
Typical backgrounds
- —Embedded and systems engineering
- —Computer engineering / hardware
- —Games and real-time systems
- —Telecoms and networking
Other roles
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.