$500k+ Entry Level Comp Rumors

Hearing some rumors that people are getting offers exceeding $500k in total comp (base + signing + year-end) at top firms (CitSec, JS, HRT etc.)

Is this true? Seems like a meaningful step up in pay and like last year's class got shafted. 

18 Comments
 

Absolute legit, friend clearing $1.5m as a Research Analyst at JS. 1.5years out of College

 

Yeah I was curious if that $550k at CitSec was true since the class that just started is only $400-450k

 
Most Helpful

If you are a rockstar programmer coming from a top school (MIT, etc...) than yes, you can easily snag a 500k/year job out of undergrad...and within a couple years get up to 1mm+/year.

How to be a rockstar programmer?

easy, you just need 4 things

1) strong programming skills in a hard language (C++) and an easy language (Python / R, Javascript, etc..)

2) strong math skills

3) networking skills (connectivity, cloud, etc..) + database

4) a creative commercial mindset - can see the bigger picture (typically relating to algo development)

There are lots of strong C++ programmers who don't make 500k because they don't have the other items on the list.

 

Not for any of the top tier market makers like citsec js optiver etc. They do all hire experienced traders with sales skillsets sometimes for trading on broker markets but I have never seen new grad positions not require strong math/stats skills (and almost always some programming). Maybe someone who works at one of those places can correct me.

 

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