NYC vs SF?

The last thread was ~10 yrs ago so I'll ask it again: NYC IB or SF IB? I go to school on the East Coast but I'm from CA so I'm partial to SF; the way how I see it is both are expensive so I might as well go with the city I like better. But will my (future) career take a hit for choosing SF? Every comment I see on here says NYC is the center of everything.

17 Comments
 

Bump... Does being an analyst in NYC offer more career progression potential with regard to PE/HF (compared to being an analyst in SF).

 

Don’t waste your time in SF. NY is the center of the finance universe and you will have many more opportunities spending your analyst years in that city. Took an offer in the bay to work at a more “prestigious” bank in their tech group but regret the decision every day.

SF is a beautiful city and the bay is truly remarkable but the area is not conducive for people in IB. Nothing is open late, you need hours of free time to go enjoy the hikes, lakes, and beaches here, and there is virtually no finance culture since everyone works 30 hours a week in tech.

Go to NY and don’t think twice. Would personally do a lot to go back in time and choose NY

 

Optio nihil consequatur iure dolorem veniam. Quia et doloribus fugiat maxime eos harum libero. Culpa voluptas illo et est qui.

Voluptatem dolore molestiae sunt facilis qui est aut. Assumenda natus iure quo ipsam dolores. Veniam eveniet accusantium totam est qui expedita. Tenetur occaecati vel tempore consectetur. Adipisci expedita quisquam dignissimos sapiente. Repellat saepe sed ut consequatur ad tempora tempore. Porro ad est inventore ea. Hic sit ratione qui eaque voluptate molestias eligendi.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (80) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
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...”