Investment Banking Associate Mega-thread

This board is filled with information regarding analyst recruiting and exit ops. I wanted to start this thread to gather information regarding associate recruiting. I am currently in Bschool and plan to recruit for IB this fall. For someone who wants to be a career banker, would you recommend BB, MM or EB? Which banks are best for:

  1. career progression
  2. pay
  3. hours
9 Comments
 

Can anyone share their experience moving from an associate in corporate finance to an associate in an investment bank?

I'm considering taking the MBA in a year or two and switching after that.

 
Most Helpful

There are too many variables here to give a valid response. Are you looking to grind your entire career and strictly focus on M&A? Go with EB / Upper MM. If you are looking for better work/life balance and the ability to move within groups? Go BB. If you are looking to primarily work on sponsor-backed MM deals? Go MM.

Pay / # of hours: EB > Upper MM (JEF, Blair, Baird, HL) = BB > MM. Career progression highly depends on what you actually want to do.

 

Two scenarios for you then, keeping in mind that the first scenario is by no means a given:

  1. If your post-MBA banking goal is to eventually (doesn't need to be 2 or 3 years) transition to a PE role as an associate (senior associate, maybe?), are there any particular banks (MM because of less rigid structure, BB because of network/connections, EB because of brand name, etc.) that you're better off targeting(read: easier) than others?

  2. If the first option doesn't pan out, and your new goal becomes maximizing $/Hr and upward mobility, which grouping would be better then? My inclination is to say EB because they typically pay more, but I also feel like hierarchically they are more difficult to climb due to sheer lack of available seats above you.

EDIT: Let's hold group constant for the sake of the thought, call it a reputable M&A desk for all three groupings.

 

Natus iste magnam debitis sed natus quo. Explicabo molestiae error iste iure quia est quas hic. Laudantium numquam cumque consequatur veniam incidunt veniam est at. At dolorem sunt quod porro deserunt corrupti.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (48) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (83) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
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...”