Quant Internship Salaries 2026

In this article, we break down the highest paying quant internships in 2025, why firms offer such generous compensation, and how you can land one yourself

Introduction

Quant internships in 2025 are truly on another level. These high-stakes roles at hedge funds, trading firms, and proprietary shops are where undergraduates are making upwards of twenty thousand dollars a month.

In this article, we look at the five best-paying quant internships this year and break down why firms are paying so much to temporary hires.

Top 5 Highest Paying Quant Internships in 2025

5. Jane Street

Interns are making roughly $21,000 per month, which annualizes to $250,000. They work on real trading models, collaborate with experienced traders and devs, and benefit from one of the best comp-and-culture packages in the industry.

4. D. E. Shaw

PhD quant interns are earning $25,000 per month, or about $80,000 across a 12-week internship. That base number is before bonuses, travel stipends, and relocation perks.

3. Citadel & Citadel Securities (PhD interns)

At Citadel, interns who are pursuing or hold PhDs can earn exceptionally high compensation, with monthly earnings exceeding $25,000 in some cases. According to various reports, total compensation for PhD interns can approach $100,000 for a single summer. This includes not only a high base pay but often additional bonuses or other incentives.

2. Radix Trading

Radix offers PhD interns an impressive compensation package of $7,300 per week, which adds up to nearly $90,000 over the course of a typical summer internship. In addition to the weekly pay, interns also receive a generous $25,000 sign-on bonus. This makes Radix one of the most competitive internship opportunities available for PhD students

1. Spark Investment Management

This boutique hedge fund is offering $45,000 for a two-week internship. That annualizes to over $1M — the highest pro-rata internship pay on record.

Honourable mentions:Five Rings ($23,000 for a short-term internship), Hudson River Trading ($15–$20k/month), IMC ($17–$19k/month), Optiver (~$15k/month), Quadrature (~$20k/month in USD).

Why Quants Get Generous Pay

The core reason is competition. The same PhD student applying to Citadel might also have interviews with Google Brain, DeepMind, or OpenAI. Top hedge funds are willing to pay big to lock in this talent.

Another reason is the scale of impact. A good intern can save or generate millions for a firm, so $25,000/month is a high-upside investment.

Finally, internships are recruiting funnels. Strong interns often get return offers with $250k+ salaries and $400k+ total comp in year one.

Is a Quant Intern Worth it?

If you're a student who enjoys puzzles, algorithms, or systems that interact with markets, these are among the best internships out there. They offer unmatched pay, team quality, and long-term upside.

Even if you leave finance later, the experience and name-brand carry weight in tech, research, and data science. These internships can launch your entire career.

How to Land a Quant Internship

Breaking into quant internships takes strategy and preparation. Most students don’t have a clear path — which is exactly why we built EverythingQuant Academy.

Our structured curriculum guides you step-by-step through the technical and strategic prep needed to land interviews and offers at top quant firms.

Apply Now to join our inaugural cohort before doors close on June 25, your chance to lock in early access before prices increase.

We hope you enjoyed this article! 😊