What is the going rate for an associate at a smaller regional boutique with approximately 10 to 15 bankers. The firm is doing 15 transactions a year at an average EV of 20-25 MM. This firm is in a tier 1/2 city but not a finance hub, think along the lines of Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, Birmingham, Raleigh.
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An associate at a smaller regional boutique outside of NYC / SF / Boston will probably make ~$90-120k or less, but there is a lower cost of living and usually better work/life balance. The MDs at those firms are generally family-oriented and thankfully lack the NYC dickheadedness, that's why they work in the middle of nowhere. With lower cost of living you can live comfortably, but you will not make what your counterparts make at financial hubs, and you will almost certainly be stuck on the lower-middle market circuit unless you can bring in clients. This is not necessarily bad. Money goes farther in the South, and you can at least spend time on the beach in FL that NYC analysts dream about on the cab ride home at 3am.
What about for base?
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