Short answer
AI will reshape this job more than most, but BLS does not forecast it disappearing. The exposure is among the highest BLS measured, yet it still projects employment to grow faster than average.
AI and jobs
Will AI Replace Financial Quantitative Analysts? (2026)
The Bureau of Labor Statistics places financial quantitative analysts in its very high AI exposure category, among the occupations most exposed to current AI. BLS projects employment to change by +4.1% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 9,400 openings a year.
- BLS AI exposure
- Very highBLS EP supplemental table
- AI-resilience score
- 8/100Higher than 2% of jobs · NueCareer
- Projected change
- +4.1%BLS EP 2025–2035; all jobs 3.5%
- Openings a year
- 9,400BLS EP 2025–2035
The federal measure
How exposed financial quantitative analysts are to AI
The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes a relative AI exposure category for each occupation it projects, built from five public measures of where AI could be, or already is, used to assist with or complete the work. Financial Quantitative Analysts land in the very high category: among the occupations most exposed to current AI.
Where this job sits on the BLS scale
786 occupations in the NueCareer bank, in BLS's four relative categories; width shows how many fall in each
- Low203 occupations · 26%
- Moderate194 occupations · 25%
- High190 occupations · 24%
- Very high · this job199 occupations · 25%
Source: BLS Employment Projections, AI exposure categories supplemental table.
- Exposure is relative. The categories rank occupations against each other; they are not a probability that a job is automated.
- BLS says exposure does not imply job loss, productivity gains, automation probability or wage effects. A highly exposed job can still grow if AI makes the people in it more productive.
- The classification reflects AI capabilities as the underlying studies measured them. Read the BLS method and limitations.
Inside the work
What AI can and cannot do in this job
O*NET rates how important each work activity is to an occupation and how often each working condition comes up. The ratings below are the ones that move the job's NueCareer AI-resilience score the most: the ones that pull it up, and the ones that pull it down. Only ratings clearly above the midpoint count.
What holds up
Physical, hands-on and person-to-person work
- Face-to-face discussions4.3/5O*NET work context, frequency or level
- Making decisions and solving problems4.3/5O*NET work activity, importance
- Thinking creatively3.9/5O*NET work activity, importance
What AI reaches first
Routine, repeatable and screen-based work
- Processing information4.5/5O*NET work activity, importance
- Working with computers4.7/5O*NET work activity, importance
- Analyzing data or information4.6/5O*NET work activity, importance
- Time spent sitting4.7/5O*NET work context, frequency or level
The tasks O*NET lists for financial quantitative analysts
- Apply mathematical or statistical techniques to address practical issues in finance, such as derivative valuation, securities trading, risk management, or financial market regulation.
- Research or develop analytical tools to address issues such as portfolio construction or optimization, performance measurement, attribution, profit and loss measurement, or pricing models.
- Interpret results of financial analysis procedures.
- Define or recommend model specifications or data collection methods.
- Produce written summary reports of financial research results.
- Maintain or modify all financial analytic models in use.
O*NET 31.0 Database task statements, most important first.
The jobs
Will there still be jobs?
Exposure says where AI meets the work. The BLS projection says what the labor market is expected to do over 2025–2035. BLS projects +4.1% change in employment over the decade, against 3.5% across all occupations, and about 9,400 openings a year once retirements and career changes are counted. About 132,130 people work in the job today, at a median of $81,100 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Full financial quantitative analyst profile: pay by state, entry route and skills
Options
Related careers less exposed to AI than financial quantitative analysts
Careers O*NET lists as related to the work, or in the same field at similar pay, that BLS places in a lower exposure category.
Insurance Appraiser, Auto Damage
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $78,240median a year
- Growth
- −8.7%
- Openings / yr
- 700
- Education
- Certificate
- High
- BLS AI exposure
- 38/100
- resilience
Appraise automobile or other vehicle damage to determine repair costs for insurance claim settlement.
Fundraiser
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $72,550median a year
- Growth
- +5.5%
- Openings / yr
- 10,000
- Education
- Bachelor's
- High
- BLS AI exposure
- 37/100
- resilience
Organize activities to raise funds or otherwise solicit and gather monetary donations or other gifts for an organization.
Labor Relations Specialist
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $95,420median a year
- Growth
- +2.1%
- Openings / yr
- 4,800
- Education
- Bachelor's
- High
- BLS AI exposure
- 28/100
- resilience
Resolve disputes between workers and managers, negotiate collective bargaining agreements, or coordinate grievance procedures to handle employee complaints.
Cost Estimator
Business and Financial Operations
- Median pay
- $78,740median a year
- Growth
- −3.1%
- Openings / yr
- 17,600
- Education
- Bachelor's
- High
- BLS AI exposure
- 12/100
- resilience
Prepare cost estimates for product manufacturing, construction projects, or services to aid management in bidding on or determining price of product or service.
Questions
Will AI Replace Financial Quantitative Analysts? FAQ
Will AI replace financial quantitative analysts?
AI will reshape this job more than most, but BLS does not forecast it disappearing. The exposure is among the highest BLS measured, yet it still projects employment to grow faster than average. BLS defines exposure as AI being able to assist with or complete some of the work, and says it does not imply job loss, productivity gains or wage effects. BLS projects employment to change by +4.1% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 9,400 openings a year.
How exposed are financial quantitative analysts to AI?
BLS sorts 786 occupations into four relative categories: low, moderate, high and very high. Financial Quantitative Analysts are in the very high category, alongside 198 other occupations. The categories combine five public measures of where AI could be or already is used, and they compare occupations with each other rather than giving an absolute risk.
What parts of a financial quantitative analyst's job can AI do?
In O*NET's description of the work, the parts that overlap most with what AI handles well are processing information, working with computers and analyzing data or information. The parts that hold up best are face-to-face discussions, making decisions and solving problems and thinking creatively. These come from O*NET ratings of how important each activity is to the job, read through NueCareer's AI-resilience method.
Is being a financial quantitative analyst a safe career from AI?
On NueCareer's AI-resilience score, built from O*NET work activities, financial quantitative analysts score 8 out of 100, higher than 2% of the occupations we score. The job pays a median of $81,100 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). No job is fully safe from technological change, but the federal exposure category and the projected openings are the two numbers worth weighing.
What careers similar to financial quantitative analysts are less exposed to AI?
Insurance Appraiser, Auto Damage (high exposure, $78,240 median), Fundraiser (high exposure, $72,550 median), Labor Relations Specialist (high exposure, $95,420 median), Cost Estimator (high exposure, $78,740 median). Each is in a lower BLS exposure category than financial quantitative analysts, and most are listed by O*NET as related to the work.
The AI exposure category is the Bureau of Labor Statistics'. The AI-resilience score and the activity breakdown are NueCareer's analysis of O*NET 31.0 Database data (method), not a federal figure. More: jobs most exposed to AI, jobs least exposed to AI, or check any job.