Corp M&A vs Shit-Tier IB

Hey all,

So I graduated in May and am currently working for a very active corp M&A team (Company: ~3B EV, ~6 acquisitions in previous 2 years, some deals in excess of $100M). The experience is great (team of 5 so I'm very involved in the deal processes, we look at ~5/month and proceed to diligence on ~1-2 deals) but the pay isn't quite up to my liking. My goal is to get into PE within the next few years...

That being said, here is my question: Would I have a better chance of breaking into PE from a shit-tier IB (assuming I transition within the next few months) or remaining in corp M&A for the next few years... Or should I just hold out until this fall and hope to swoop on a BB offer, which if possible is obv the best option in my opinion. Basically I want to know if PE would value my experience in corp M&A more than a shitty regional IB, that way I can justify the low pay to myself. Or am i just fucked either way.

Thanks!

3 Comments
 

Love how you throw around the word shitty. I own a shitty, under-the-radar company but make a lot more than my middle-management friends at banks, PE shops, and top consulting gigs, and much more when you factor in cost-of-living.

Point being: the difference between 150 and 300 a few years out of college in New York is negligible since both won't get you anywhere anyways, so just enjoy life and do what you like. Life is short, you could die tomorrow. (IP: Didn't some guy say that in the Hebrew Bible?)

I rich, smarts, and totally in debt.
 

Maxime sunt soluta eaque eveniet. Ab maiores aut omnis quibusdam. Nam sit nemo reiciendis quos. Harum id rerum non facilis hic minus. Molestiae officia qui odit.

Provident repudiandae temporibus odit eum illo. In vel qui dolor consequatur quis nesciunt aut.

Dolore exercitationem repellendus iusto. Consequatur cupiditate dolores eum sequi accusantium omnis exercitationem. Nobis vel laudantium eum expedita quibusdam.

XX

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • 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 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • 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 (56) $261
  • 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

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
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...”