Quant Skills Index
The skills quant firms are hiring for
Which skills do quant firms hire for, and which are growing?
Across 1,333 live vacancies at 18 quant employers, the most requested skills are Python (768 vacancies), Machine learning (342 vacancies), C++ (306 vacancies). Over the last 30 days the fastest growing are Time-series modelling (+88.9%), Distributed systems (+20%). A mention means the employer asked for the skill in writing, so these are counts rather than estimates.
Skills tracked
20
Matched by published term lists
Live vacancies scanned
1,333
18 employers
Core quant vacancies
828
Used for the quant-lift figure
With advertised pay
182
Basis of every pay column
Based on 1,333 live vacancies across 18 employers, as observed on 6 September 2026. Counts come from employer-operated job boards we read directly; classification is rule-based and inspectable.
Most requested skills
Live vacancies that ask for each skill in writing, in the selected category.
Vacancies mentioning the skill. Based on 1,333 live vacancies across 18 employers. Counts are read directly from employer job boards; classification is rule-based and inspectable.
Skill momentum, last 30 days
Change against the equivalent window before it. Only skills with at least 25 mentions and a publishable comparison base.
30-day change in mentions. Based on 1,333 live vacancies across 18 employers. Counts are read directly from employer job boards; classification is rule-based and inspectable.
| Python | 768 |
|---|---|
| Machine learning | 342 |
| C++ | 306 |
| Linux | 293 |
| SQL | 251 |
| Low latency | 217 |
| Networking | 201 |
| Statistics | 168 |
| Market microstructure | 138 |
| Java | 132 |
| Distributed systems | 113 |
| Cloud infrastructure | 95 |
Skill table
Change compares postings in the selected window against the equivalent window before it, and is only published where that earlier window held at least five postings. Pay columns are medians of the ranges employers advertised on vacancies mentioning the skill.
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Pay data
20 skills
| Skill | Vacancies | Last 30d | 30d change | Top role families | Advertised pay | Quant signal | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PythonLanguage | 768 | 109 | ▼ -27.3% |
| $165k – $220kn=111, 10 firms | 761.91× | High confidencen=768 |
| Machine learningQuantitative | 342 | 48 | ▼ -37.7% |
| $175k – $250kn=27, 7 firms | 751.87× | High confidencen=342 |
| C++Language | 306 | 42 | ▼ -35.4% |
| $175k – $225kn=43, 6 firms | 1008.28× | High confidencen=306 |
| LinuxSystems | 293 | 38 | ▼ -24% |
| $160k – $225kn=41, 9 firms | 1004.22× | High confidencen=293 |
| SQLData | 251 | 41 | ▼ -16.3% |
| $150k – $185kn=36, 8 firms | 340.85× | High confidencen=251 |
| Low latencySystems | 217 | 29 | ▼ -25.6% |
| $175k – $225kn=26, 6 firms | 1005.41× | High confidencen=217 |
| NetworkingSystems | 201 | 29 | ▼ -29.3% |
| $150k – $220kn=25, 7 firms | 822.06× | High confidencen=201 |
| StatisticsQuantitative | 168 | 30 | ▼ -14.3% |
| $165k – $230kn=25, 6 firms | 1003.33× | High confidencen=168 |
| Market microstructureQuantitative | 138 | 21 | ▼ -16% |
| $170k – $225kn=15, 6 firms | 1003.22× | High confidencen=138 |
| JavaLanguage | 132 | 16 | ▼ -40.7% |
| $170k – $225kn=19, 5 firms | 1007.44× | High confidencen=132 |
| Distributed systemsSystems | 113 | 18 | ▲ +20% |
| $183k – $250kn=16, 4 firms | 1004.69× | Medium confidencen=113 |
| Cloud infrastructureSystems | 95 | 11 | ▼ -15.4% |
| $160k – $200kn=11, 4 firms | 1002.61× | Medium confidencen=95 |
| Time-series modellingQuantitative | 90 | 17 | ▲ +88.9% |
| $175k – $245kn=17, 5 firms | 761.89× | Medium confidencen=90 |
| Deep learningQuantitative | 69 | 8 | ▼ -11.1% |
| $175k – $300kn=9, 4 firms | 1006.40× | Medium confidencen=69 |
| ProbabilityQuantitative | 53 | 10 | — 0% |
| $175k – $250kn=7, 3 firms | 832.08× | Medium confidencen=53 |
| RustLanguage | 40 | 5 | ▼ -54.5% |
| $175k – $225kn=8, 3 firms | 1005.49× | Medium confidencen=40 |
| CUDA / GPUHardware | 40 | 4 | ▼ -66.7% |
| $175k – $300kn=5, 3 firms | 1005.49× | Medium confidencen=40 |
| FPGAHardware | 30 | 2 | ▼ -81.8% |
| $188k – $288kn=2, 1 firms | 1008.54× | Early signaln=30 |
| KDB+/qData | 27 | 3 | insufficient |
| $150k – $200kn=1, 1 firms | 701.74× | Early signaln=27 |
| Stochastic calculusQuantitative | 10 | 0 | insufficient |
| $200k – $275kn=2, 1 firms | 571.42× | Early signaln=10 |
Most quant-specific skills
Skills that separate quant hiring from ordinary engineering hiring at the same firms. How the signal score works.
- C++8.28×
285 of 828 quant vacancies · 17 firms
High confidencen=306 - Linux4.22×
256 of 828 quant vacancies · 18 firms
High confidencen=293 - Low latency5.41×
195 of 828 quant vacancies · 16 firms
High confidencen=217 - Statistics3.33×
142 of 828 quant vacancies · 17 firms
High confidencen=168 - Market microstructure3.22×
116 of 828 quant vacancies · 13 firms
High confidencen=138 - Java7.44×
122 of 828 quant vacancies · 14 firms
High confidencen=132
Method: each live vacancy description is matched against a published list of terms per skill. A mention means the employer asked for it in writing — not that we inferred it. Terms and thresholds are fixed in advance and applied identically to every posting, so the same vacancy always produces the same result. Full documentation in data and methodology.