We are in possession of an advance copy of the Robert Walters 2012 salary survey.

Therein, is information about which contract jobs are very remunerative in salary terms and which jobs aren’t.

It’s not easy to earn £500+ a day in the London contract market, but it does happen. Here’s who’s still getting that kind of money (we haven’t included technology roles):

1. Senior Project Managers

If you want to earn £500+ a day as a project manager in financial services, you’ll need six years’ experience, says Robert Walters. Top project managers are some of the best paid contractors of all – earning £700 a day.

2.  Senior Regulatory Reporting Specialists

Regulatory reporting experts with more than 6 years’ experience are also earning £500 a day, says Robert Walters. It says the best paid regulator reporters are, “able to generate their understanding of the implications of the figures.”

3. Senior compliance specialists

Not many people earn more than £500 a day working on a contract basis in compliance. Those that do, again tend to have at least six years’ experience. Surprisingly, the best paid roles are in anti-money laundering, where there’s apparently been a big increase in demand due to the implementation of new anti-bribery and corruption legislation.

4. Senior HR professionals

Surprisingly perhaps, it’s possible to make a reasonable amount of money working on a contract basis in HR. Robert Walters says there are heads of recruitment, heads of compensation and benefits and heads of training who are earning £500 a day on a contract basis in financial services. Some HR business partners are on £450 a day.

5.  Senior lawyers

Contract lawyers in investment banks can earn £500 a day – once they have 7 years’ PQE.

6.  Mid-ranking quantitative risk professionals

You don’t need to be particularly senior to earn £500 a day in quant risk. It’s allegedly possible after as little as three years. The same applies to credit risk modelers who earn £400-550 a day with between 3 and 5 years’ experience.

7.  Other risk professionals

Market risk, operations risk professionals can allegedly earn £500 a day with 5 years’ experience; in credit risk reporting, you’ll need 7 years’ experience.