How many people here are just full of it?

It is realistic.

^ yep

People come to Wall Street to prove themselves and get filthy stinking rich. That's why I'm here, and that's why everyone else is here......get to it.

if WSO members represented a truly a random sample of the American population, then yes, the EXPECTATION of making upper 6 to lower 7 figures would be pretty ridiculous. but WSO the membership isn't representative of the general population.

most WSO members are either from the nation's elite universities or are ultra-overachievers from decent schools. still not a surefire high 6 to low 7 figure salary guarantee, but the chances are A LOT higher.

I can personally guarantee you that I glad an offer for work straight out of undergrad that would have made me 140k in bonus as a 22 year old. My salary from their would have only been capped by my productivity but probably would have risen to over a million a year in 10-12 years....

However, I chose to go to grad school!n hahaha

What you dont factor in is how friggin hard it is to break in and then fact that you give away every summer and most free moments of your life even through college just trying to find a way in...

You cited 200K, in this industry that's a very realistic target by age 26-27. It's for real.

Haha unless you're a stud, you gotta be a bit naive to break in. Given my background, without my naivete and stubbornness, I sure as hell never would've made it! And about compensation, yes 200k is a ton of money relative to the average, but when a close friend of yours or a peer is making 400k at a buyside shop, 200k all of a sudden feels pretty inadequate. And who wants to be average anyway. Ridiculous? Probably, but that's how it is.

You must be new here.

Welcome to WSO.

I think I'm in the minority here but the people on this site make it seem like they make $40k a year. Never talking about anything fancy or luxurious. Seems like everyone here drives a Volvo...when you can afford to get a Benz

I think if you're 3-4 years out (and stay in banking or hop to PE), 250-300k is very realistic for a 25 year old. Thus, 600k+ at 30? Pretty doable.

I go to an ivy league school and if someone offered me $100K+inflation/yr for the rest of my life GUARANTEED than I would definitely take it- that's how much I hate uncertainty in the finance job market (but who would offer me that....?)

From my experience though, wall street employment market is very volatile with some people making 100s of K and others getting laid off and not knowing what to do.

Six figures is realistic. Seven less so.

Few jobs allow you to make six figures fresh out of college and guarantee you all in comp in the $250K-ish range if you make it to associate. Most career paths that offer $200K+ require years and years of a slow climb to that level of income. The young and hungry don't want to endure that.

In investment banking, you damn well better make the jump to VP in three years or else you are shown the exit. This isn't some F500 company where you can easily slip through the cracks of middle management and coast by with a six-figure salary while doing jack shit. If you do not produce, you will be thrown out.

To get to that level of coasting by with a six-figure salary, you need to put in your fair share of years not making much money at all at a F500. I don't have the patience for that.

Next time, exercise a little less naivete when finger wagging.