Salary Expectations on Buyside/Sellside ER
Hello happy people on WSO,
Been away from Wall St for a few years (total YoE 8 yrs consists of 4 SSER + 4 industry) but now actively interviewing to make a come back and want to get a up-to-date check on compensations/etc. from the community.
1. Talking to a couple of mid-tier/lower tier bulge VP ER associate role supporting healthcare coverage (on track to cover own names in the near future): does $255k base + $25k sign-on 30-40% expected bonus sound reasonable?
2. Also talking to a couple of HC dedicated single manager HFs: does $250k base + 50-100% bonus sound reasonable?
Is that a real thing that pods/top tier HFs will stop hiring from VP ER associate since they might view them too old?
Thank you all!
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here’s what you need to know:
Sell-Side ER VP Role (Healthcare Coverage):
Buy-Side HC-Dedicated Single Manager HFs:
If you’re actively interviewing, make sure to highlight your healthcare expertise and ability to transition seamlessly into either role. Good luck!
Sources: David and Goliath: The Boutique and The Bulge Bracket, I'm a Senior Sell-Side Research Associate, Q&A, Top 10 Undergrad, Top 10 MBA... Unemployed 3 months, 2 not great offers to decide between, Equity Research: Wall Street's Best Kept Secret, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/equity-research/qa-er-analyst-at-top-bb-plus-about-er-general-advice?customgpt=1
Base sounds way too high. You'll be lucky to get 200K, if not 175K.
Thanks but for real? I thought ER salary overall had a step up over these inflation years?
Yeah that base is hilarious. You're not getting that OP
Sellside VP is 200-225k base for respectable shops, haven’t seen $250k base even for healthcare VPs. Some MM shops may even have you come in 175k base. Bonus varies so cannot comment. Buyside will have you come down to 150k base then rest of desired comp will be variable, but there are exceptions who pay a hefty base salary.
Thanks. How can people even live on 175k base in NYC though.
175k base will get you access to like 4K/month apartments. This is pretty good if you can deal with a smaller one bedroom, no self-parking, whether in Manhattan or a close by part of something like Queens (Hunter's Point for example).
Need to cut your takeout and Starbucks spending :)
What’s your level/ title in the industry? And why do you want to go back to SS? To answer your question, It’s not unreasonable to get $200k base and $300K TC at lower tier shops as a VP associate. Thats a reasonable starting point and can be a lot higher. For a reputable pod shop, base is somewhere closer to $150-175 and the bonus is 100%-200% as a starting point. Single manager base is around the $200k mark for a decent place and higher end of 50-100% at the min assuming an average year for newer analysts.
Thanks for the insights! I am at principal/associate director level with >$220k base and guaranteed 20% bonus + upside on exceeding corporate goals on deals I made. I have been always wanting to break into pods to earn that outlier payday and now seeing SSER as a step stone to that. My company unfortunately had a huge setback this year and wiped out all my equities/options (had it worked out I would made good $). So I need to go back to Wall St. and grind again.
Following up here. I heard from recruiters that those pod analyst/or like Citadel senior associate seats are $1m job? Like $200k + $800k bonus (or that only applies to SO few of them). I was at $175k base when I left SSER a few years ago.
You need to find a place that has the opportunity for coverage after 1-2 years if you plan to stay for a long time. You’re in a weird spot but you’d have no problem getting hired assuming personality fit matches. The biggest question coming from senior analysts is whether you’d be willing to grind for long hours again. Age is not an issue unless you’re older than the hiring analyst, 40+, and look/ behave like an old man.
Those bonus numbers are outliers. It’s certainly possible, but it’s equally likely that you’ll get a low bonus or zero and lose your seat. Most fall somewhere in the middle. I know far too many pod analysts that have had one average year followed by a zero and then maybe another average year and then move on to the next phase of their career. A select few have hit the 7 figure numbers in the right sector at the right time along with some talent.
How much for junior associates?
Fresh college graduates are somewhere $120-$170k and $170-300k for senior associate (post mba, PhD, MD)
Big 4 pod shops senior associate (below senior analyst) can clear high 6 figures in an ok year, and more than $1m if they are killing it.
Thanks for the great confirmation!
Then how much are senior analysts clearing?
If you don't mind, in this market how did you convince both HH and firms that they should hire you even with a break? I would think they would say it is a tougher story to tell. Asking b/c in a similar situation alought not in ER. Thanks for any insight!
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