Quant Compensation · 2026
Quant Salary & Bonus (2026)
Base, bonus, and all-in pay from Junior / New-Grad QR · QT · QD (0–3 yrs) to Portfolio Manager / Head of Research / Partner (15+ yrs) — plus how to actually land the seat.
Quant compensation by level
| Level | Base | Bonus | All-In |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior / New-Grad QR · QT · QD (0–3 yrs)Top prop firms (Jane Street ~$300k base + bonus) lead; QT highest bonus upside. | $120k–$200k | $30k–$250k (often ≥ base at top firms) | $200k–$450k+ |
| Mid-Level Quant (3–6 yrs)QT track closest to P&L; Citadel QR median ~$396k at this band. | $175k–$250k | $80k–$300k | $255k–$600k |
| Senior Quant (6–10 yrs)Median-of-survivors at top firms ~$800k–$1.2M by year 5; high variance. | $200k–$300k | $150k–$500k+ | $350k–$800k |
| Lead / Principal Quant (10–15 yrs)Owns a strategy/team; bonus dominates and is fully P&L-driven. | $250k–$400k | $250k–$800k+ | $500k–$1.2M+ |
| Portfolio Manager / Head of Research / Partner (15+ yrs)PMs run their own book; ceiling is essentially uncapped at multi-strat HFs. | $300k–$500k | P&L payout (often 10%–20% of book) | $1M–$10M+ |
Quant is the highest-paying finance track at the junior level and uniquely front-loaded: top prop/HF firms (Jane Street, Citadel, Citadel Securities, HRT, Two Sigma, DE Shaw, Jump) pay new grads $250k–$450k+ all-in — more than IB MDs in some cases. The standard split is three tracks: Quant Researcher (QR, signal/alpha research), Quant Trader (QT, sits on the P&L, highest bonus upside), and Quant Developer (QD, infra/systems, slightly lower but still elite). Comp is heavily bonus-weighted and P&L-linked; senior PMs/partners reach $1M–$10M+. Firm matters more than title at entry. Ranges below are ILLUSTRATIVE 2026 US top-tier figures — second-tier shops pay meaningfully less.
Quant salary FAQ
How much does an entry-level Quant professional make in 2026?
An entry-level Junior / New-Grad QR · QT · QD (0–3 yrs) earns roughly $200k–$450k+ all-in — about $120k–$200k base plus $30k–$250k (often ≥ base at top firms) bonus. These are illustrative 2026 US major-market ranges; actual pay varies by firm, group, and city.
How much can you make in Quant?
Compensation scales sharply with seniority. At the top of the ladder (Portfolio Manager / Head of Research / Partner (15+ yrs)), all-in pay can reach $1M–$10M+ (illustrative). The full level-by-level breakdown is in the table above.
What is the base salary for a Quant role?
Base salary for an entry-level Junior / New-Grad QR · QT · QD (0–3 yrs) is approximately $120k–$200k in 2026 (illustrative). Bonuses typically add $30k–$250k (often ≥ base at top firms) on top, which is where most of the upside sits.
Is Quant a high-paying career?
Quant is the highest-paying finance track at the junior level and uniquely front-loaded: top prop/HF firms (Jane Street, Citadel, Citadel Securities, HRT, Two Sigma, DE Shaw, Jump) pay new grads $250k–$450k+ all-in — more than IB MDs in some cases. The standard split is three tra