The number that matters most in this report is not the headline 31%. It is that part-time postings grew 55%.
Short answer: Toptal's High-skilled Job Report for Q2 2026 found demand for experienced finance consultants up 31% quarter over quarter and 39% year over year, the strongest of the ten segments it tracks. Part-time postings rose 55%.
Key takeaways
- Toptal's High-skilled Job Report for Q2 2026 found demand for experienced finance consultants grew 31% quarter over quarter and 39% year over year, the strongest showing of the ten.
- 117 live listings in this category publish a rate, at a median top-of-range of $110 an hour and a ceiling of $280.
- The work is remote contract work, asynchronous, with no set hours and no guaranteed volume.
- Applications screen on a short skills assessment rather than a resume or interview.
What was reported
The finding
Toptal's High-skilled Job Report for Q2 2026 found demand for experienced finance consultants grew 31% quarter over quarter and 39% year over year, the strongest showing of the ten technology and professional services segments the company tracks. Within the remote and hybrid segment demand rose 27% quarter over quarter and 42% year over year, with full-time postings up 7% and part-time postings up 55%. The report attributes the surge to a rise in IPO, merger and acquisition activity in Q2, increasing demand for expertise in due diligence, valuation and accounting. It describes companies preferring experienced professionals who combine deep domain expertise with AI fluency and systems-level thinking, and frames AI adoption as fuelling demand for finance talent rather than replacing it.
Toptal found demand for experienced finance consultants up 31% quarter over quarter and 39% year over year, the strongest of ten segments tracked, with remote and hybrid demand up 27% and 42%. Full-time postings grew 7%. Part-time grew 55%.
What the listings pay
That gap describes how finance expertise is now being bought: in fractions, on projects, from people who already have day jobs. It matches the surge in IPO and M&A activity the report credits, where due diligence, valuation and accounting expertise is needed intensely and then not at all.
| # | Role | Advertised rate | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Investment & Finance Expert | $245 to $280 an hour | micro1 |
| 2 | Investment Banking Expert | $150 to $220 an hour | Dorado |
| 3 | UK-Based MBB and Top-Tier Strategy Consulting Experts | $140 to $200 an hour | Mercor |
| 4 | Biotech Investment Analyst, Drug Asset & Company Assessment | $120 to $200 an hour | Mercor |
| 5 | AI Consulting Domain Expert | $100 to $200 an hour | micro1 |
| 6 | Compensation & Equity Expert (Total Rewards) | $50 to $200 an hour | Mercor |
| 7 | Multilingual Primary Care Physician (MD): Clinical Documentation & AI Evaluation | $170 to $190 an hour | Mercor |
| 8 | Financial Analyst Talent Network | $60 to $180 an hour | Mercor |
| 9 | Investment Bankers | $175 to $175 an hour | Handshake AI |
| 10 | Multilingual Inpatient Hospitalist (MD): Clinical Documentation & AI Evaluation | $170 to $170 an hour | Mercor |
Source: 117 live listings on this board that publish a rate, read directly from each posting on 2026-09-06. Listings without a published rate are excluded rather than estimated.
How this compares across the board
A rate only means something next to the alternatives. This is every category we track with at least five listings publishing a rate, ranked by median top-of-range, so you can see where this work sits rather than taking a single number on trust.
| Category | Listings | Median low | Median top | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal | 95 | $100 | $140 | $400 |
| Medical | 68 | $77 | $120 | $400 |
| Consulting | 45 | $80 | $120 | $280 |
| Finance | 94 | $80 | $110 | $280 |
| Engineering | 114 | $70 | $100 | $300 |
| Research/PhD | 132 | $70 | $90 | $280 |
| Writing | 36 | $40 | $80 | $280 |
| Bilingual | 78 | $44 | $52 | $120 |
| Annotation | 25 | $12 | $24 | $120 |
Same source and date as above. Categories are matched on listing title, so a role can appear in more than one.
What it means for you
The stated preference is for people who pair domain depth with AI fluency, which is exactly what evaluation work builds. Across 117 live finance listings on our board that publish a rate, the median top-of-range is $110 an hour, reaching $280.
Why AI is increasing demand here rather than reducing it
The report's framing is that AI adoption is fuelling demand for finance talent rather than replacing it, and the mechanism is not mysterious. More analysis gets produced, and someone still has to be accountable for whether it is right.
That is consistent with what Dimon said about JPMorgan: AI cut 30% to 40% of headcount in some units, while efficiency gains did not translate into dramatically cheaper operations because competition passed the benefit to customers. Volume rises, accountability does not move.
Due diligence is the clearest case. A model can assemble a data room summary quickly, and the cost of one missed liability is the entire benefit of the speed.
The compliance step, again
Financial services firms have among the strictest outside-business-activity policies anywhere, and they generally apply whether or not clients or securities are involved.
Get written clearance from compliance before starting. Asked properly in advance, the answer is often yes; discovered afterwards, it is a problem you created for yourself.
Never use employer models, work product or non-public information. The listings want your judgment, which you own, not your firm's material, which you do not.
Who should apply
Two checks before you spend time on an application. Confirm the role accepts applicants from your country with the eligibility checker, since a meaningful share of listings carry location requirements. Then run the advertised rate through the take-home calculator, because this is contract work and the headline figure is before self-employment tax.
Applications complete on the hiring platform and usually take a few minutes, with a short skills assessment in place of an interview. Fill in every credential, language and professional background field on your profile. Those are what route you to the better paid listings, and most applicants leave them blank.
Frequently asked questions
How much did finance demand grow?
Toptal's Q2 2026 report found demand for experienced finance consultants up 31% quarter over quarter and 39% year over year, the strongest of ten segments tracked.
What about part-time and remote work?
Remote and hybrid demand rose 27% quarter over quarter and 42% year over year. Full-time postings grew 7% while part-time postings grew 55%.
What is driving it?
The report credits a Q2 surge in IPO, merger and acquisition activity, raising demand for due diligence, valuation and accounting expertise.
Is AI reducing finance jobs?
This report frames AI adoption as fuelling demand for finance talent rather than replacing it, with companies preferring professionals combining domain expertise and AI fluency.
What does finance AI work pay?
Across 117 live finance listings publishing a rate, the median top-of-range is $110 an hour, reaching $280.
Do I need compliance approval?
If you work in financial services, almost certainly. Outside-business-activity policies usually apply regardless of clients or securities. Get it in writing first.
Can I use my firm's models or research?
No. The listings want your judgment, not your employer's work product, and using non-public material would create a serious problem.
Sources
See every live role
The full board updates several times a week, with the advertised rate on each listing and closed roles removed.