Are banks really that different from one another?

I know this site obsesses over GS/JPM/MS a lot, but how much "better" are they compared to other BBs (C/CS/BARC/BAML/UBS/DB) on the street regarding (1) culture (2) workload (3) pay (4) structure?Is the difference just blown out of proportion on this site, or are the banks actually a lot more similar than people like to describe? I've heard mixed reviews, where some say it's night and day, others who say most banks give similar experiences. Minus prestige, are "lower-tier" banks really that different from "mid-tier" and "top" banks? Would love to hear from anyone who has experienced both sides, or has friends at these banks. 

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Dont compare Barc/UBS/DB with GS/MS/JP/BofA/Citi/CS

I see a greater difference between mid & bottom and top & mid.

Even inside of those mid ones there is one who is closer from the top ones than from that commonly known as mid tier peers

 

Barclays is definitely a mid-tier BB, and in most of the coverage groups, the most competitive with GS/MS/JPM. To OP's question, outside of prestige, every BB is fairly the same in workload, pay, and structure. Culture might be the biggest differentiator, but even this comes down to the specific group.  

 
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