Masters and PhDs in Equity Research?

I have always been wondering, what are the job placements for masters (finance, economics) and PhDs (economics) in ER?

It is widely known that banks recruit a very small amount of masters into IBD (or don't) and people almost never heard of PhDs getting into IBD. What about equity research then?

Once I was networking with a guy at a Canadian EB, he told me that ER actually prefers people who hold higher degrees. Is that true? What master programs would you recommend for Equity Research?

Thank you for your insights.

7 Comments
 
Best Response

There are some, particularly in the more STEMy sector coverage teams; healthcare, tech etc. For the most part the overwhelming majority will have MBA's, or no grad degree at all. Healthcare seems to get a lot of MD/Ph.D. types covering biotech and pharma, and that is true on both the buyside and the sellside.

Generally I would not use a ph.d. as a track to get into one of these roles, since there is not an established recruiting pipeline. Much more common for Ph.d. and master's ppl to go into consulting.

 

Thank you for replying and I do appreciate it. Is there any specific suggestions for me to break into ER? I know it's gonna be tough but I feel I should give it a try.

As for my quant/writing skills, I have had a publication in a good journal covering a certain software market (qualitative paper) and two pure research papers (highly quantitative) under review. I don't know if it counts when they evaluate my application. Any thoughts?

I know my school does not fall into the target schools category but, research-wise, my program is actually quite strong. My Ph.D./Undergraduate GPAs are also not bad.

Again, thank you for all the help!

 

Eveniet delectus aut laborum temporibus sed ullam. Ullam ut repellendus ipsam maiores. Omnis fugit consequatur ea molestias libero. Est architecto non voluptas doloremque animi labore.

Deleniti dolores debitis sit voluptate sit. Voluptatem sed placeat facilis soluta autem.

Id sed atque esse qui rerum delectus. Rerum voluptatem qui sit commodi saepe.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (80) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
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...”