Friend is trying to get a job at a prop shop -- said he's heard of starting salaries of $200k+bonus... is that true?

He's getting a master's in quantitative finance from a non-target school and is looking at full-time positions at prop shops. He said he's going to try and negotiate a salary that's ~$200k... I've heard that even at the top shops your first year salary is going to be more in the range of $50-80k/year for the first year, and then once you've shown you're competent, then you get your own account and take home P&L. Is he pulling my leg or are there actually prop shops that give inexperienced people a $200k/year starting salary?

 

$200K BASE is high unless you're an experienced quant/trader with a track record. For someone just coming out of a masters or phd program in STEM, it's more like $125-$150k base, but with bonus, yes, going over $200K is totally feasible. There are guys at top shops such as getco/drw/huson river/jump/teza who are making $500K+ including bonus after just being there for a few years.

 
nori90:

I dont believe this is possible from a non-target school.
The salary will probably range in the 90k before bonus

This is probably one of the more retarded things i have read on this forum. 200k starting base is really in the top top couple of basis points of pay levels, in which case this whole non target v target thing really doesnt mean squat.

 

haha, Not sure on the base. But with those I've spoken with the majority(almost all) of their income is bonus from their p/l. Meaning if they don't profit they don't get paid. But these guys were very experienced.

Fear is the greatest motivator. Motivation is what it takes to find profit.
 

That seems unlikely for an inexperienced hire unless he has a very specific skillset (e.g. FPGA engineering) that the firm is looking for. Location probably matters a lot for this. In New York it might happen.

Base comp is probably the least important thing to look at when selecting a firm. Obviously you want enough to live comfortably, but much more important to select a firm with the right culture, infrastructure/resources and a good pay structure. Good traders make money by making their employers rich and getting a cut, not by negotiating $25k raises in their base salary.

 

Et quis delectus repudiandae aspernatur quia omnis. Omnis non quam tenetur totam. Autem deserunt dolore deleniti ut placeat aperiam est. Quis nihil dolores eos numquam aut ipsam quas odio. Impedit ratione labore inventore.

Aut voluptas sapiente sequi voluptate quos quaerat dolores. Dolorem nemo labore molestias est alias dolor. Ducimus voluptatem et voluptatem totam nam. Mollitia ex molestiae voluptatibus quo nihil. Id laboriosam eveniet quae quia provident. Repudiandae consequatur ut vitae nisi odio necessitatibus.

Career Advancement Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. New 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (87) $260
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (14) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (205) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (146) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
10
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”