Comp Ask for L/S Equity Start-Up

Hello all - happy new year.

I wanted to ask your insight on what a reasonable ask for compensation would be for a start-up hedge fund in a Medium Cost of Living city (above national average cost of living, but less than NYC or Boston). There are two funds I am speaking with currently (details below)...

My background

30 years old

Math undergrad and masters at non-Ivy school, CFA charter

Work experience at two places: (1) creating machine learning models for a large company, (2) allocator role at an endowment/foundation in the 5-15 billion range (I currently manage the hedge fund allocation)

My reason for wanting to switch jobs: I would like to be directly investing money rather than underwriting managers who then invest the money

Fund A (~25mm AUM and growing)

Strategy: Very concentrated value-oriented long-only

Employees: 2 (I would be the third employee)

My role: I would be in a research-oriented role, with no potential to run my own book (the role would be 100% supporting the PM)

Fund B (~50mm AUM and growing)

Strategy: Primarily long/short equity, with potential to add other strategies over time

Employees: 2 (I would be the third employee in this fund as well)

My role: I would begin as research support on the L/S equity side, with potential to run a diversifying book after a year (diversifying book would consist of a strategy I have already built and currently run in my personal brokerage)

I appreciate any comments since I have no real-life contacts who are in this situation. Thanks!

9 Comments
 

Sed perferendis dolor quo. Necessitatibus sed nisi odit minima nisi. Aut officiis iure consequatur omnis. Itaque qui quod vero.

Et ad est numquam impedit cum explicabo. Ea non quia ipsa doloribus quaerat error.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Hedge Fund

  • Point72 99.0%
  • D.E. Shaw 98.0%
  • AQR Capital Management 97.0%
  • Citadel Investment Group 96.0%
  • Magnetar Capital 95.0%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Hedge Fund

  • Magnetar Capital 99.0%
  • D.E. Shaw 98.0%
  • Blackstone Group 97.0%
  • Citadel Investment Group 96.0%
  • Two Sigma Investments 94.9%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Hedge Fund

  • AQR Capital Management 99.0%
  • Point72 98.0%
  • D.E. Shaw 97.1%
  • Citadel Investment Group 96.1%
  • Magnetar Capital 95.1%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Hedge Fund

  • Portfolio Manager (9) $1,648
  • Vice President (27) $464
  • Director/MD (11) $372
  • NA (9) $320
  • Engineer/Quant (83) $287
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (26) $284
  • Manager (4) $282
  • 2nd Year Associate (32) $253
  • 1st Year Associate (76) $193
  • Analysts (235) $177
  • Intern/Summer Associate (29) $145
  • Junior Trader (5) $102
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (276) $95
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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
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...”