Quantitative Analyst.
Nashville.
$172,000
median salary, at the national average
$128,000 to $232,000. Updated for 2026.
The numbers.
Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.
Nashville is 0% cheaper than the national average. For Quantitative Analysts, that shakes out to a median of $172,000, with the full range spanning $128,000 to $232,000. Firm type and strategy alpha generation are the primary pay determinants. Know the range before you walk in.
Salary range
Tap to place your salary
How Nashville compares
Nashville, TN
$172,000
Cost of living: at average
National Average
$172,000
Same as local rate
What you should know
Here is what the Quantitative Analyst market actually looks like in Nashville. Nashville has diversified well beyond music into healthcare, finance, and technology. The city is home to HCA Healthcare and a growing corridor of health tech startups. Nashville's moderate cost of living, combined with Tennessee's lack of state income tax on wages, makes it increasingly popular for corporate relocations and remote workers. Firm type and strategy alpha generation are the primary pay determinants. Quants at top hedge funds like Citadel, Two Sigma, or DE Shaw earn 50 to 100% more than those at banks or asset managers. PhD-level mathematics, physics, or computer science backgrounds from top research universities command the highest starting salaries.
Junior quants start at $120,000 to $160,000 base at top firms. Mid-level quantitative analysts earn $160,000 to $220,000 base. Senior quants and portfolio managers reach $220,000 to $350,000 base. Quant portfolio managers running profitable strategies can earn $500,000 to several million in total compensation. In Nashville, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Performance bonuses at quantitative hedge funds frequently equal or exceed base salary, with total compensation of $300,000 to $800,000 for mid-level quants. Top performers at elite firms can earn $1 million or more. Bank quants receive 20 to 50% bonuses with smaller variance. And on the tax side: tennessee has no state income tax on wages or salaries. This gives Nashville workers a meaningful take home advantage over peers in states with 5 to 10% income tax rates. When someone quotes you $172,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Use the healthcare industry concentration as leverage. Nashville healthcare employers are accustomed to national pay scales and will often match or beat coastal health sector offers. The range for Quantitative Analysts in Nashville runs from $128,000 to $232,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Top industries in Nashville
Negotiating in Nashville
Use the healthcare industry concentration as leverage. Nashville healthcare employers are accustomed to national pay scales and will often match or beat coastal health sector offers.