Chicago IB Firms

Wanted to get more insight on comp, culture, and exits at these firms in Chicago. MM is discussed a lot but not really the boutiques and BBs:

Barclays, JPM, GS, Citi, Evercore, Moelis, PWP, Greenhill, Solomon Partners

38 Comments
 
Most Helpful

I can offer some info on the ones I know:

Barclays - not too familiar with the office but is likely comparable with the other BB below

JPM - focused a lot in industrials, specifically the automotive industry. More hardcore culture and medium - small sized office

GS - not too familiar but have heard culture is brutal in the chicago office

Citi - also pretty heavy on industrials. Don’t know much else but the culture seems a little lackluster

Evercore - super small office with a niche team focused in the paper and packaging industry. Small as in like 7 - 10 total people

Moelis - pays well and works on a lot of deals with the NY and SF offices (I think). The group is naturally focused more on industrials since they are in chicago

PWP - better developed culture from what I understand and also primarily works in industrials

Greenhill - have heard this office is pretty sweaty but the people who are working there are very smart. Interviews are mostly technical

Solomon Partners - very new and I have not heard much about them

 

They are going to be smaller offices than Blair. Don’t know much about the BofA office but the people I know at credit Suisse are down to earth solid people

 

Worked at one of them and have many friends at the firms mentioned. 

Evercore: small team, mainly paper and packaging deals

PWP: small team but growing, MDs are in P&P and Auto

Greenhill: was one of the largest EB in Chicago, NY office seems to fell off but the Chicago team is still strong, rough culture during COVID but heard they improved it a lot

Moelis: 10-yr Chicago office, heard great things about culture, team size consistent, mainly work in consumer, P&P, and fig

Citi: big team tough culture, heard its improving tho

CS: was a big team but seems to be shrinking, heard its p sweaty

tbh if u are considering any of the firms above for Chicago you should def consider William Blair. People call it MM but its based in chicago so have great home court advantage (great deal flow, great pay, good culture)

 

Facilis architecto tempora in. Provident fugit quidem sequi eum veritatis accusantium sed.

 

Fugiat necessitatibus in quas pariatur tempora ratione. Voluptas nihil aperiam aut non quibusdam officiis sit. Mollitia soluta officia et eveniet sapiente reprehenderit. Libero libero quia pariatur doloremque aut. Commodi quia odit consequatur. Rerum rerum labore voluptas architecto.

Harum ducimus possimus non mollitia harum incidunt deleniti. Natus dolorem recusandae sed ut ut aut asperiores.

Facere vel veritatis magnam in ut dignissimos. Consequatur odit magnam et voluptatibus. Et voluptatibus vel recusandae provident ut nobis magnam. Cumque quaerat perferendis ipsam qui rerum nobis. Corporis quos adipisci et. Vel ut et consequatur voluptates dolores nobis.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $101
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

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...”