A quant developer builds the systems that research and trading depend on: backtesting infrastructure, data pipelines, execution platforms and production strategy code. New York total compensation typically runs from about $180,000 at entry level to $600,000 or more for senior developers at leading firms.
Live vacancies
29
Employers hiring
10
Market guides
17
Seniority bands
4
How much does a quant developer earn?
A quant developer builds the systems that research and trading depend on: backtesting infrastructure, data pipelines, execution platforms and production strategy code. New York total compensation typically runs from about $180,000 at entry level to $600,000 or more for senior developers at leading firms. 29 quant developer roles are open right now across 10 employers and 8 cities we track.
KnowQuant research desk·Updated 1 September 2026·29 live vacancies from 10 employers, plus 4 modelled seniority bands across 17 hub markets·Method 2026.1
Where quant developer 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
29
Open roles matching this function
Employers hiring
10
Distinct firms with an open seat
Doctorate preferred
5
Vacancies stating a PhD preference
Open roles by city
London
6
Chicago
4
New York
4
Hong Kong
4
Singapore
3
Shanghai
2
Zurich / Geneva
1
Paris
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.
Quant Developer total compensation by city, September 2026
Annual median wage across all employers, not just quant firms, for the government occupations closest to a quant developer. 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.
Quant Developer compensation by seniority in New York, September 2026
Level
Experience
Base
Total comp
Junior Developer
0-2 yrs
$130k – $180k
$180k – $300k
Developer
2-5 yrs
$170k – $240k
$260k – $450k
Senior Developer
5-8 yrs
$210k – $300k
$380k – $700k
Lead / Principal
8+ yrs
$250k – $375k
$500k – $1.2m
About the role
Quant development sits between software engineering and the trading floor. The work spans research infrastructure, simulation environments, market-data handling and the production path from signal to order. Firms that treat developers as first-class contributors rather than support functions pay close to research levels, and the compensation gap between a generic software role and a quant development seat at a top firm is substantial.
Sourced answers to the questions people bring to this page, each with the figure, the date and the caveat.
How much does a quant developer earn?
A quant developer builds the systems that research and trading depend on: backtesting infrastructure, data pipelines, execution platforms and production strategy code. New York total compensation typically runs from about $180,000 at entry level to $600,000 or more for senior developers at leading firms. The New York band runs $180k – $1.2m in annual total compensation, with a modelled reference estimate of $340k. Figures are base salary plus expected performance bonus, excluding sign-on, deferred equity and carry.
What does a quant developer earn at entry level?
An entry hire (Junior Developer, 0-2 years) is typically offered $130k to $180k in base salary and $180k to $300k in total compensation in New York. At the senior end (Lead / Principal, 8+ years) total compensation reaches $1.2m.
Where is the best-paid market for a quant developer?
New York leads on headline modelled total compensation at $340k, with London at £228k. 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 quant developers for?
The recurring requirements are C++, Python, Distributed systems, kdb+/q, Linux performance. Typical backgrounds are computer science graduates, software engineers moving from big technology, systems and infrastructure specialists. Of the live vacancies we classify for this role, 5 ask for a PhD.
How many quant developers roles are open right now?
We currently classify 29 open quant developer vacancies across 10 firms and 8 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 quant developer 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/quant-developer
Quant Developer head to head
Pay, entry route and day to day work for Quant Developer 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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Weekly market movements
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The dated market call: which desks opened seats, where pay shifted, and which markets tightened. Written by the research desk, sent Monday, and nothing else.
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.