Financial Quantitative Analysts
Machines can already do 65% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 88%. Most of the work is changing now.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Financial Quantitative Analysts in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 65% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 22% of them.
- Forecast: machines can already do half of its tasks, and 88% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 132,130 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $81,100 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 55% for contact with people.
- Also called: Investment Portfolio Control Consultant, Investment Strategist, Portfolio Manager, Quantitative Analyst.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apply mathematical or statistical techniques to address practical issues in finance, such as derivative valuation, securities trading, risk management, or financial market regulation | 16% | 80% to 97% | |
| Research or develop analytical tools to address issues such as portfolio construction or optimization, performance measurement, attribution, profit and loss measurement, or pricing models | 12% | 78% to 97% | |
| Develop core analytical capabilities or model libraries, using advanced statistical, quantitative, or econometric techniques | 10% | 60% to 90% | |
| Interpret results of financial analysis procedures | 8% | 81% to 97% | |
| Maintain or modify all financial analytic models in use | 8% | 60% to 90% | |
| Produce written summary reports of financial research results | 6% | 83% to 97% | |
| Provide application or analytical support to researchers or traders on issues such as valuations or data | 6% | 79% to 97% | |
| Define or recommend model specifications or data collection methods | 5% | 35% to 65% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills financial quantitative analysts use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Actuaries65% of tasks by 2035 · US median $130,000
- Economists85% of tasks by 2035 · US median $124,720
- Financial Risk Specialists87% of tasks by 2035 · US median $117,330
- Financial and Investment Analysts83% of tasks by 2035 · US median $102,740
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Financial Quantitative Analysts?
Machines can already do half of its tasks. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of financial quantitative analysts?
Machines can do 65% of the tasks of financial quantitative analysts today and 88% by 2035. Most of the routine work moves to machines, and the people in the job move to oversight, judgement and client work.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 13-2099.01 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Financial Quantitative Analysts: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/financial-quantitative-analysts/