[2026] [Unbiased] Investment Banking Prestige Tier-List
S++: PJT (RSSG), Q, CVP (HC)
S+: EVR (RX), GS (TMT), CVP (Rest), MS (M&A/Menlo TMT)
S: EVR (M&A), LAZ (RX/PEI), PJT (M&A), MOE (LA/RX), HL (RX), Allen, GS (FIG)
S-: GS Classics (Rest), MS (Rest), MOE (Rest), LAZ (Rest), JPM (Rest), Dyal, PWP (HC/RX)
A+: MKlein, Raine, PWP (Rest), Citi (M&A/IND), BofA (M&A/IND)
A: JEFF (HOU O&G), Barclays (PU&I/TMT), BofA (Rest), Citi (Rest)
A-: GUGG (RX), WF (REGL/IND), Barc (Rest), LionTree, TPH, Ducera (RX)
B+: JEFF (Rest), Rothschild, DB, GUGG, RBC (PU&I), FT Partners
B: DB (Rest), WF (Rest), RBC (Rest), Mizuho, BMO (M&A)
B-: TD (TMT/HC), William Blair (HC), RJ (Consumer), HL(Rest)
C+: TD (Rest), Piper Sandler CR, RJ (Rest), William Blair (Rest)
C: Harris Williams, Nomura, UBS, BMO (Rest), CIBC, Santander
C-: Cantor Fitzgerald, Stifel, Solomon Partners, Cain Brothers, Baird, BNP Paribas
D: Oppenheimer & Co, HSBC, MUFG, Lincoln International, Scotia, BGL
Accurate, get a life
congrats on WF
.
U have WF (rest) listed twice in B and A-? pls fix
Mizuho climbing a lot
Holy dyal does not belong in S-
Accurate but touch grass
del
BMO M&A? Wtf is that. At least do BMO mining as that is still holding on to the brand name despite all the folks who made it no longer being there
By TPH, do you mean the energy group of PWP based in Houston/Calgary?
Hopped on WSO for the first time in a year or 2 and I’m seeing TPH everywhere for some reason. Before now I’d seen it pop up a few times at most. It’s certainly a solid shop, but I didn’t think it was a household name outside of O&G / southern schools.
Congrats on ft partners!
Tier lists are fun, but they’re mostly a lagging indicator of alumni sentiment, not a decision tool.
Three things get consistently lost in these debates:
1) “Firm prestige” ≠ “Seat quality.”
An S-tier seat with no reps, no MD sponsorship, and no live deals will underperform an A-tier seat where you’re actually building judgment. Prestige compounds only if you’re close to decision-making.
2) RX / M&A / Coverage labels hide massive dispersion.
Two analysts at the same firm, same tier can exit to completely different places depending on:
3) Exit outcomes are driven more by how you learn than where you start.
Funds don’t hire logos; they hire people who can:
Holy ChatGPT
FT Partners is dumpster tier
Are you grouping Mizuho and Greenhill under one weighted average prestige? Mizuho is the product and coverage groups and mostly do financing while Greenhill is generalist M&A, separate recruiting processes.
Consequuntur et ut fugiat eligendi suscipit. Est id porro dolor dolorum aperiam voluptatem. Quia temporibus optio eligendi dolorum et dolores aut. Dolore laborum dolorem velit quibusdam est eius aliquam.
Ducimus eum illo aut quibusdam facilis. Esse fuga laudantium voluptates voluptates doloribus. Iste eum quos voluptatem explicabo. Non et error in omnis fugit. Perspiciatis culpa itaque ratione est qui. Vero perspiciatis odio aut quis.
Ducimus est sed reiciendis autem. Recusandae doloremque doloribus aliquid quae eos. Quia quis nulla est perferendis in sit.
Veniam aspernatur harum sint. Autem laudantium harum iusto. Esse quae optio nihil quis soluta quo.
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...