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Market Intelligence · Compensation

Market Data Compensation Intelligence

2026 salary benchmarks, compensation trends, and career data for market data professionals — sourced from Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, Salary.com, and industry surveys.

Q1 2026 Data US National Medians 6 Role Benchmarks NYC / CHI / SF +15–25%
01

2026 Salary Benchmarks

Market Data Analyst
$85k
Median Base Salary
$65k – $110k  ·  25th–75th pct.
Typical EmployersBanks, Trading Firms, Exchanges, Data Vendors
Market Data Engineer
$130k
Median Base Salary
$114.5k – $137.5k  ·  25th–75th pct.
Typical EmployersHFT Firms, Banks, Exchanges, Tech Vendors
Market Data Manager
$145k
Median Base Salary
$115k – $175k  ·  25th–75th pct.
Typical EmployersAsset Managers, Banks, Hedge Funds
Feed Handler Developer
$155k
Median Base Salary
$130k – $185k  ·  25th–75th pct.
Typical EmployersHFT Firms, Prime Brokers, Market Makers
VP Market Data
$195k
Median Base Salary
$160k – $240k  ·  25th–75th pct.
Typical EmployersTier 1 Banks, Large Asset Managers
Head of Market Data / Director
$230k
Median Base Salary
$185k – $290k  ·  25th–75th pct.
Typical EmployersGoldman Sachs, JPMorgan, BlackRock, ICE
02

Interactive Salary Comparison

View:
Showing base salary medians
03

Compensation by Firm Type

Role Tier 1 Bank Hedge Fund / HFT Exchange / Venue Data Vendor Asset Manager
Market Data Analyst $85,000 $105,000 $80,000 $75,000 $82,000
Market Data Engineer $135,000 $165,000 $120,000 $115,000 $125,000
Market Data Manager $155,000 $185,000 $140,000 $130,000 $150,000
⚠ HFT and hedge fund firms typically pay 20–40% above market rate for feed handler, co-location, and low-latency roles. This premium reflects the direct revenue impact of latency-sensitive market data infrastructure.
04

Market Data Skills Premium — 2026

05

Typical Career Progression

Year 0 – 2
Market Data Analyst
$65k – $85k
Year 2 – 5
Sr. Analyst / Associate
$85k – $120k
Year 5 – 8
Market Data Manager
$120k – $165k
Year 8 – 12
VP Market Data
$160k – $220k
Year 12+
Director / Head of Market Data
$200k – $290k+
▶ HFT and hedge fund tracks typically compress this timeline by 2–3 years. Feed handler developers and low-latency engineers at top prop trading firms can reach VP-equivalent compensation by year 4–6.
06

Methodology & Data Sources

Data Sourcing & Disclaimer

Data sourced from Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, Salary.com, and PayScale as of Q1 2026. Market data roles are a specialized subset of financial services technology. Figures reflect US national medians. New York, Chicago, and San Francisco command 15–25% above national averages. Total compensation estimates include base salary, annual bonus, and equity where applicable, using a 1.25× multiplier on base as a conservative estimate. Compensation data is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice.

Glassdoor ZipRecruiter Salary.com PayScale Q1 2026 US National