Who pays the highest right now?
Which banks pay the highest right now... can be literally boutique to MM, EB, BB. I know there's a bunch of boutiques paying good... don't know how good but definitely good bit.
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Career Resources
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here’s a breakdown of the highest-paying banks across different categories:
Boutique Banks
Bulge Bracket Banks
Middle Market Banks
While specific MM data isn’t highlighted in the context, some specialized boutiques (e.g., Gordon Dyal) reportedly pay exceptionally well, with anecdotal evidence of associates clearing $550k annually for lighter workloads (~30-35 hours/week).
Key Takeaways
If you’re targeting high comp, boutiques like PJT and Moelis are excellent bets, while bulge brackets like BAML provide strong pay with brand prestige.
Sources: 2018 Investment Banking Report: 8 Trends in the Industry, 2017 Investment Banking Report: 8 Key Trends to Know, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-banking/2017-investment-banking-report-8-key-trends-to-know?customgpt=1
Qatalyst: $2MM base for An1. Perks: everyone knows the firm name, it’s much more well known than smaller firms like Goldman Sachs.
CVP/MOE/LAZ: around $1.5MM base for An1. Perks: you’re allowed to get into the office at 11 am and leave at 5pm, and the best culture of any corporate in America
Hope this helps!
Can confirm - I work at Qatalyst and was paid $1.5bn this fiscal year and Frank Quatrone personally withdrew the cash to hand to me in a presealed bag.
Hope this helps!
That’s a big presealed bag
Adding to this, ur list is pretty fair, but I'd add Dyal and Guggenheim to it as well. Think they're slept on in this forum.
Dyal: Pays around the same as Qatalyst, around $1.9MM base for An1, and a hefty bonus. Pros: arguably some of the heaviest M&A deal volume in the industry, roughly $1.3 trillion last year. Given this, unlike some of the other firms on this thread, pitching is almost nonexistent; you'll always be working on a massive deal, and a lot of them too. Additionally, the minor deficit in base comp relative to Q is made up by much better WLB. Would take it over any BB / EB.
Gugg: More or less matches the $1.5 million base of CVP etc, for An1. Unsure about bonus. Pros: Culture, and probably one of the best names on Wall street. Great for dating apps etc. Totally worth it for the exits as well. Probably the most prestigious Elite Boutique (EB) in existence.
Wish more ppl made posts about these two firms on here, and glazed them instead of other firms. And at the end of the day, regardless of what firm you join, the path to making 9 figures in comp is extremely straightforward in IB. I heard the other day that the statistics show that 95% of people who get into IB make 9 figs in TC by the time they're 30, which makes the relatively minor loss of social life worth it IMO.
Happy to elaborate, and hope this helps!
UBS gave me 50mm TC and a concubine
Tobin & Co. gave me a Chic-fil-a gift card!
Rothschild gave me 50 Tesco clubcard points!
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