High Paying Entry-Level Engineering Roles at Hudson River Trading and Jane Street
When it comes to entry-level engineering roles, Hudson River Trading and Jane Street are the top-paying companies in the industry. According to Levels.fyi’s annual compensation report, Hudson River Trading surpassed Jane Street this year by offering an average salary of $400k, while Jane Street remained at $350k. OpenAI, on the other hand, lagged behind with an average pay of $300k.
Finance firms dominated the top ranks for level-1 engineers, with Quant hedge fund Two Sigma, New York fintech Ramp, and Dutch prop trading firm Optiver following closely behind Hudson River Trading and Jane Street. These companies offered salaries ranging between $255k-$265k on average. Data infrastructure firm Databricks rounded out the list.
Top Paying Companies for Mid and Senior Engineering Roles
As seniority rose, AI firms took the spotlight for offering competitive salaries. Claude developer Anthropic emerged as the top-paying firm for mid-level and senior engineers, with salaries reaching $540k and $746k, respectively. OpenAI led the pack for engineering manager roles, providing an average pay of $1.3m.
Data Science Roles at Jane Street and Beyond
Despite Hudson River Trading’s dominance in entry-level engineering roles, Jane Street maintained its position as the top-paying firm for data scientists, offering an average salary of $300k. Google and Citadel followed closely behind. For senior data scientists, fintech company Stripe ranked sixth, while also excelling as the third-best paying firm for senior product managers.
How to Secure an Entry-Level Role at Jane Street or Hudson River Trading
Securing a role at top-paying firms like Jane Street and Hudson River Trading requires strategic planning and preparation. Jane Street, known for its extensive campus recruiting efforts, focuses on select universities globally for talent acquisition. Prospective candidates are advised to target these universities to increase their chances of being noticed by the company.
While both Jane Street and HRT are prop trading firms, they differ significantly in their cultural expectations. Jane Street emphasizes strong probability fundamentals and mental math skills, akin to a ‘Chicago style’ trading firm. On the other hand, Hudson River Trading values technical proficiency, reflecting a ‘New York style’ approach.
For aspiring candidates, converting an internship opportunity into a full-time graduate position is a recommended pathway to entering these prestigious firms. Understanding the prop trading interview process and preparing diligently can increase the likelihood of success.
