May 29, 2024

MBA Programs for ER

Which MBA programs if any place well into ER roles? Is this a common path into the industry like it is for consulting and IB?

410 WSO Academy Equity Research Session Reviews: 4.84/5

Springfield College

Class of '29 Sep 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Equity Research Mock Coffee Chat

“Michael gave me very practical, specific advice for breaking into equity research as a freshman. I came in with mixed results from past alumni and industry chats, and he showed me how to make them more useful. He advised tailoring the length and questions of each chat to the contact: start with a brief intro, then pivot to targeted questions tied to their role. For shorter calls, he suggested pinpoint questions that draw out actionable advice. When a contact works in a different area, he told me to phrase my interest broadly and then ask for insight into their team or function, so my goals line up with their work. He also changed how I prepare. He told me to read the analyst’s published reports or their firm’s research before the call and to bring one or two stock or sector ideas and ask for their take, which shows I’ve done my homework. He suggested using school resources like terminals and the finance club to gather sources and data. On building my resume, he recommended continuing to publish on a Substack or website, pursuing WSO or part-time research projects, and applying to the WSO equity research internship or similar programs, then adding the published pieces to my resume and portfolio. He also told me to join my school finance club and get Bloomberg access. Finally, he coached me to ask for introductions during the call when it comes up, to repeat the request in the thank-you email, and to explicitly ask who they’d recommend and offer to follow up. I left with clear action items I can start on right away.”

Class of '25 Nov 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Equity Research Career Roadmap (optional)

“Chris was very easy to talk to and made the session feel relaxed and genuinely useful. He gave me clear, actionable tasks that I can go away and work on straight away to expand my network. I hope to reconvene with him at a later date to discuss the progress I have made and get his feedback on the work I have been doing.”

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4 Comments

WSO Monkey Bot

Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some insights regarding MBA programs and their placement into Equity Research (ER) roles:

MBA Programs for ER:
- Top MBA Programs: Generally, top-tier MBA programs, especially those in the M7 (Magnificent 7) group, are known to place well into ER roles. These programs include Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth, Kellogg, MIT Sloan, and Columbia.
- Placement into ER: While not as common as consulting or investment banking, MBA programs can still be a viable path into ER. The pull towards hedge funds (HF) is strong after 2 years in ER, but long-only (LO) gigs are rarer and harder to break into.
Common Path into the Industry:
- Consulting and IB: MBA programs are a more traditional and common path for consulting and investment banking roles compared to ER.
- ER Path: For ER, the path is less standardized. Many professionals transition into ER from other finance roles or directly from undergraduate programs. However, an MBA can still provide a significant advantage, especially from a top-tier school.

In summary, while MBA programs, particularly top-tier ones, can place well into ER roles, it is not as common a path as it is for consulting and investment banking.

Sources: Is MBA really the proven path for IB, ER Career Paths, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/consulting/should-consultants-get-an-mba-8-scenarios-to-consider?customgpt=1, ER after MBA, Does everyone wants to leave Investment Banking after 2 years?

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rich_toad

[Comment removed by mod team]

MBApe

CBS, Wharton, Booth, Stern, Yale probably do the most. Some others may come from the rest of the T15, but without prior investing experience and/or CFA, it’s very tough. That applies for those top schools, too. If you go to CBS without investing experience/CFA, you’ll be a small fish in a very big, talented pond.

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Research Analyst in HF - EquityHedge

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Research Analyst in HF - EquityHedge

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https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/resources/skills/trading-investing/venture-capital-investing

+14	Is Equity Research Dying - Where Are the Future Opportunites?	4	4d
+10	Associates who stuck around for > 5 years working for the same analyst. Why?	4	1w
+9	Detailed Revenue and Cost Builds	3	1w
+7	Analyst with no coverage or ranking	5	1w
+6	Preparation for grad scheme - buyside ER	1	1d
+1	IB SA -> ER FT	4	2w
0	Equity Research Rankings	1	1w

1	redever	99.2
2	BankonBanking	99.0
3	Secyh62	99.0
4	kanon	99.0
5	Betsy Massar	98.9
6	DrApeman	98.9
7	GameTheory	98.9
8	CompBanker	98.9
9	dosk17	98.9
10	Mimbs	98.8

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MBA Programs for ER

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MBA Programs for ER

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