Also called: Quant Developer, Trading Systems Engineer
Writes lightning-fast software for trading firms and hedge funds.
You shave microseconds off a trading system, because being faster than competitors can mean millions of dollars. The math is intense and the pay is among the highest in tech.
Estimate; bonuses can double pay at top firms.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in CS, math, or physics from a strong program; some have PhDs.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics.
Growing about average. Small, extremely competitive field.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI writes trading code faster, but ultra-fast systems and competitive edge keep a small group of top developers in demand.
Classes: AP Calculus BC, AP Computer Science A, AP Statistics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 15-1252.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.