Investment Banking VP vs Private Equity VP

Everyone knows it's hard to make it to the top levels of IB or PE. There's very few spots and a lot of competition. If VP was the highest level you made in banking or private equity and spent the rest of your career in that position, which would be better in terms of comp, lifestyle, and the actual day-to-day work? 

Assume BB/EB and MF/UMM in tier 1 city. 

14 Comments
 
PainterDry

First, I'd like to commend you on an astounding post.

Comp: PE (your getting carry)

Lifestyle: It's a toss up. It's both very difficult and challenging. I would say PE is more difficult 

Day-to-Day: PE. Much much more interesting work.

Overall.

Private Equity VP is in fact > Investment Banking VP

Thoughts?

"Comp: PE (your getting carry)"

^-not if this is the extent of granularity in your analyses 

 

Shitty questions get shitty answers, so - it depends. VP level is where people start to get axed so you should probably be good at what you do, and have the motivation to do it day in and day out. Posts like this are useless for many reasons, but mainly because it’s difficult to predict where you will be in 1-2 years, much less in 5-7 years. My guess is that you want someone to answer this question by saying “PE VPs make $xxx and IB VPs make $yyy” and you’ll pretty much stop reading after that. The truth of the matter is, very few people make it to that level in the first place, and if you do, congrats, but if you happen to be like numerous other analysts who decide to go a different route, that’s completely fine and you shouldn’t worry about it.

 

Looking for thoughts on this- in my networking/what I've heard, it seems to me that generally people get 'stuck' at VP in both fields, but for some reason investment banking VPs who are stuck at that level continue are able to continue that role indefinitely (just never get promoted so some choose to exit) because there is value in having experienced VPs who might not be MD material, whereas PE is more of a move up or move out mindset- if you don't get promoted, you get fired, and you don't see as many of the lifer type VPs as there are in banking. obviously this is firm dependent, but can anyone confirm/deny? 

 

Don’t think that’s true in banking - still up or out at VP. I think Director / ED is where most people get stuck before moving to MD. GS is obviously different.. VP and D/ED are combined so people do get “stuck” at VP. 

 
Most Helpful

Very different risk profile that I don’t think people appreciate.

As VP in PE, you’re getting close to needing to contribute. One of “your deals” need to happen and will be the main reason for your next 5 year job (looking for bolt-ons, exit…). If you fail to get one of those you won’t make it to principal+.

Job changing is also pretty much a single bullet. People don’t do 3 PE jobs in 6 years. It screws your carry, and show that you’re not really getting anything done. So VP is basically when people decide to move shop for the next 10 years.

As a VP in banking, you can still hop around a couple of times. Your contribution is execution only, no-one gives a fuck about your clients. No one wants you to bring mandates because that takes resources from the bank to execute and make Mds look bad. VP in banking is a glorified associate). The good thing is that it’s somewhat low risk (you get canned at director promotion if you can’t handle a client), but most likely you’ll get the benefit of the doubt until you don’t.

 
pipole4

Very different risk profile that I don't think people appreciate.

As VP in PE, you're getting close to needing to contribute. One of "your deals" need to happen and will be the main reason for your next 5 year job (looking for bolt-ons, exit…). If you fail to get one of those you won't make it to principal+.

Job changing is also pretty much a single bullet. People don't do 3 PE jobs in 6 years. It screws your carry, and show that you're not really getting anything done. So VP is basically when people decide to move shop for the next 10 years.

As a VP in banking, you can still hop around a couple of times. Your contribution is execution only, no-one gives a fuck about your clients. No one wants you to bring mandates because that takes resources from the bank to execute and make Mds look bad. VP in banking is a glorified associate). The good thing is that it's somewhat low risk (you get canned at director promotion if you can't handle a client), but most likely you'll get the benefit of the doubt until you don't.

You can get promoted to principal at most large cap and even umm without any deal sourcing chops

 

Aliquid quidem praesentium sunt sint nulla. Voluptatum perferendis ipsam quas voluptatibus. Facere laboriosam ut et assumenda non. Eum et et aut eos. Dolores voluptas nulla consequuntur quae aut sit. Sequi quos tempora aut dolorem sit commodi et ullam.

Id sequi dolorum autem ratione. A quibusdam quis ut quis aut voluptatum. Asperiores eum perspiciatis aut laudantium incidunt. Omnis veniam ut esse esse reiciendis consequuntur et. Qui numquam aliquid nisi autem aut.

Aperiam eos dolore tenetur unde non ut dolorum. Est ipsa ea sit. Aliquid odit delectus ullam modi asperiores illo. Quaerat qui temporibus modi. Eligendi dolorem maxime libero.

Career Advancement Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.9%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

September 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

September 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

September 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
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
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...”