Trending Content - Investment Banking Forum
Career Resources
WSO Free Modeling Series - Now Open Through
October 31, 2026
9 Free Financial Modeling Lessons
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
High Finance Applications
Guaranteed
Get at least one offer GUARANTEED
- 1:1 support
- 92% success rate
- 2,000+ mentor network
- Unlimited Live bootcamps
- AI for resume + LinkedIn
- Networking automation tools
- HireVue simulation tool
- Full course library
- Private Slack community
- 20hrs of mocks
- + much more...
Base for Associate 1 is $125,000. Bonus is about 100%, give or take.
BBs have bumped A0 to $125 and A1 to $140-150, so I doubt EBs are this low
Is the 100% top bucket? Or Mid? What is the range I guess is what I am getting at?
100% is the mid-point. Top performers are getting paid more than that.
"A0" refers to the gap between end of summer and year end, when MBA grads typically start working as associates. During that time, they are paid what they will get paid as full-fledged first year associates (A1) the following year. Thus, there is no increase in base comp between A0 and A1.
RIght now, the EBs are paying base salaries at these levels: A0/1 $125,000 A2 $150,000 A3 $175,000
Yep. A top bucket A3 will make over $400,000.
The trouble is that after you hit VP, you will be increasingly expected to bring in client relationships, and your pay will vary as such. It's not uncommon for VPs to make less than associates.
Generally not a significant gap between EBs and larger PE funds, but remember that Associate roles in IB are post-MBA, as opposed to being pre-MBA on the PE side.
Are pre-MBA PE associates really making anywhere near $400,000? Seems like post-MBA associates are more likely to be in that ballpark.
Can anyone comment on the fact that EB's only hire MBA students who did IB Analyst stints prior to B School?
Not true. Preference for? Sure, but that is true in a lot more than EBs.
I can comment on the fact that this is not a fact.
Same, I know multiple associates hired by EBs with no prior banking experience what so ever. I know a person at an EB who worked in the public sector (policy related) prior to B-school and is now an associate...
Sed aut iste vel occaecati amet perspiciatis quos. Cupiditate distinctio possimus in facilis alias itaque. Qui autem ipsam distinctio.
Est ut blanditiis sit impedit. Dolor aspernatur asperiores est tenetur quos delectus ab. Quo ut commodi alias ut. Rerum id nisi reiciendis sed molestias sit. Amet repellendus quam vel sed commodi dicta quia.
Illo dolore cum occaecati aut facilis. Et omnis qui rerum delectus incidunt libero. Suscipit corporis aut ipsum perspiciatis sint hic unde.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...