According to the latest data from Levels, Wall Street's well-known quantitative fund Jane Street has generously offered new graduates an ultra-high annual salary of $394,000.
Source: levels.fyi
This means that an entry-level new hire at a major quant firm can earn an annual salary of nearly 2.8 million RMB, equivalent to a monthly salary of over 200,000 RMB, setting a new ceiling for fresh graduate pay. Quantitative finance has once again made headlines!
Quantitative Finance is an interdisciplinary field that integrates mathematics, statistics, computer science, and financial theory. Common specializations include Financial Engineering, Financial Mathematics, Financial Technology, and Quantitative Finance.
With its ultra-high employment rate and generous compensation, it has long been a top choice for students from China and around the world. Even in recent years when traditional finance has been seen as declining, quantitative finance remains as popular as ever.
Quantitative Finance RiskNet Ranking
Top quantitative finance programs are highly competitive to get into, but offer extremely high returns. When choosing schools, in addition to the industry's authoritative QuantNet ranking, the global quantitative finance master's ranking published by RiskNet also holds reference value,
Its ranking places great emphasis on the employment data of master's programs, with employment-related assessment criteria accounting for 55%.
The top three spots in the 2025 RiskNet ranking were swept by U.S. universities. Baruch College secured first place with a 100% employment rate and an average starting salary of $162,000. Princeton University took second with a 99% employment rate and the highest starting salary of $165,000. UC Berkeley claimed third with an employment rate of 97% and a starting salary of $147,000.
The complete top 25 of the 2025 RiskNet Global Quantitative Finance Master's Ranking is as follows:
Source: RiskNet
GRE Requirements for Top Quantitative Finance Programs
Quantitative finance programs have high requirements for backgrounds in computer science, mathematics, and finance, with particular emphasis on applicants' abilities in mathematics and data analysis. Top quantitative finance programs at the top of the list all consider GRE scores as a necessary application requirement.
Princeton - Master in Finance
▪ 2025 RiskNet 2nd
▪ 2025 QuantNet 1st
▪ Employment rate: 100%
▪ Graduate annual salary: $165,000
The MFin program is hosted by the Bendheim Center for Finance and spans two years. Leveraging disciplines such as computer science, economics, operations research and financial engineering, statistics, and machine learning centers, it cultivates students' comprehensive abilities in financial economics, probability and statistics, optimization, computational finance, and machine learning.
According to the latest official statistics, from 2017 to 2024, the program's full-time and summer internship employment rate has remained at 100%. This outstanding employment performance has helped Princeton maintain its top position.
Source: Princeton official website
Although the GRE requirement for this program is optional, the official website clearly states that submitted GRE scores will be considered as an important reference. According to official data, the median GRE Math score for the admitted class of 2024 is as high as 169, placing in the 96th percentile, fully reflecting students' outstanding quantitative abilities.
Berkeley - Financial Engineering
▪ 2025 RiskNet 3rd
▪ 2025 QuantNet 4th
▪ Employment rate: 97%
▪ Graduate annual salary: $148,000
The Berkeley Master of Financial Engineering (MFE) is a one-year program designed for students with quantitative skills, aiming to quickly prepare them for careers in finance. Program features include a 10-12 week innovative internship and collaborative applied projects with major financial firms.
Upon graduation, 97% of students received job offers. Top employers include Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, BlackRock, Citadel, and others, with the highest annual salary reaching $275,000.
Image from Berkeley official website
This program requires GRE scores. According to the latest disclosed GRE data, the average GRE score percentiles for admitted students are: Math 90% (~170), Verbal 77% (~158). Among undergraduate majors, students with mathematics backgrounds are the largest group, indicating that the program prefers students with quantitative strengths.
Image from Berkeley official website
North Carolina State University - Financial Mathematics
▪ 2025 RiskNet 5th
▪ 2025 QuantNet 12th
▪ Employment rate: 100%
▪ Graduate annual salary: $117,000
NC State's Financial Mathematics program lasts 18 months and is renowned for its rigorous training in core courses such as probability, statistics, mathematical modeling, investment theory, stochastic processes, and economics. Students can also choose to delve deeper into areas like data analysis, portfolio management, machine learning, or risk management.
The program boasts a 100% employment rate, with an average starting salary of $116,000 and an average signing bonus of $17,000. Graduates enter industries including banking, investment funds, insurance, accounting and consulting, software, government, etc.
Image from NC State official website
The program strongly recommends that applicants submit GRE scores to improve their chances of admission.
Image from NC State official website
Columbia University - Financial Engineering
▪ 2025 RiskNet 6th
▪ 2025 QuantNet 6th
▪ Employment rate: 100%
▪ Graduate annual salary: $123,000
Columbia's MSFE is the flagship program of the IEOR department, deeply integrating stochastic processes, machine learning, and derivatives modeling into its curriculum. Many professors have senior executive backgrounds at top institutions, providing students with first-class industry resources, internships, and job opportunities. The program achieves a 100% employment rate within three months of graduation.
GRE scores are one of the mandatory requirements for applying to this program.
Cornell University - Financial Engineering
▪ 2025 RiskNet 9th
▪ 2025 QuantNet 9th
▪ Employment rate: 99%
▪ Graduate annual salary: $130,000
Cornell's quantitative finance program emphasizes career orientation and practical application. The curriculum covers data science, optimization, analytics, computation, and core finance courses, cultivating students' practical skills in the quantitative finance industry.
The program prefers that students submit strong GRE scores.
Image from Cornell official website
Carnegie Mellon University - Computational Finance
▪ 2025 RiskNet 11th
▪ 2025 QuantNet 3rd
▪ Employment rate: 100%
▪ Graduate annual salary: $136,000
CMU's Master of Computational Finance emphasizes the integration of practice and theory, with courses covering financial mathematics, statistics, programming, and quantitative trading.
Over the past three years, 99% of program graduates have found employment within six months of graduation. For the Class of 2024, the highest year-end bonus reached $340,000.
Image from CMU official website
This program requires GRE scores, and the average GRE Math score for previous classes is as high as 169.
Image from CMU official website
While the prospects and pay in quantitative finance are attractive, it is not suitable for everyone. When choosing a program, be sure to analyze comprehensively based on your personal situation. There is no universally perfect major; only the best choice that fits you.
For programs with GRE requirements, make sure to plan and prepare early, get your scores in advance, so as not to delay subsequent application preparations!
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