LA vs SF vs NY offices application competitiveness

As a USC Marshall sophomore, I am currently deciding which office I should apply for the summer internship. Though I like NY the most, I believe, in overall, I would have a higher chance in applying for west coast offices but not applied to all firms. I aint sure about the competitiveness of different offices in terms of specific firms for example like MS/CS/Moelis/GS/PJT/Evercore/Lazard and other boutiques and banks etc. Therefore, I really hope to know more about the difficulty for specific firms maybe through knowing their SA classes, reputation, and your experiences. 

As my top priority is to secure a summer internship in a reputable firm and location is my second preference . Thanks so much for your help.

1 Comments
 

Qui id beatae in exercitationem et. Iste culpa itaque ullam ipsam mollitia repellendus. Cupiditate non eos porro qui quo cumque rerum nobis. Molestiae dicta dicta et non nemo odit nam nobis.

Adipisci soluta error nostrum dolores in optio mollitia. Quo dolor hic vel esse. At qui delectus dolorem sint corporis quam.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.

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

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...”