30-40% pay cut worth for a better role?

I graduated last year and have ~1.5 years of back-office experience at a BB bank, earning ~1.4M INR (~$75k PPP). I live away from home, so I save ~40–45% of my take-home.

The role has little to no finance exposure, and I’m getting bored. I’ve cleared CFA Level II and expect to pivot internally to a middle-office role (possibly DCM) by next July, with comp rising to ~2M INR (~$95k PPP). I also plan to pursue an MBA in 2–3 years, where my current firm’s brand might help.

Meanwhile, I have an opportunity for a pure valuations role (think one of Houlihan Lokey, Kroll, or Lincoln International) in my hometown. Pay would drop to 900k–1M INR (~$50k PPP), but I'd save more due to no rent. The role is strong, but I’m hesitant about the pay cut and its impact on future hikes.

Should I go for the better role or stay put for a better-paying, though less fulfilling, role? Long-term, I’m targeting IB (product/coverage) or private credit.

1 Comments
 

Sit ducimus quo harum error. Vitae quia nesciunt porro officiis doloremque sunt blanditiis. Accusamus omnis consequatur ipsam esse. Voluptatem illo optio deserunt et iusto rerum molestias.

Odit incidunt aliquid autem eveniet molestiae ullam atque. Est rem est eligendi quas deleniti. Consequatur adipisci eveniet dolorem iusto beatae assumenda ipsa.

Soluta vel qui fugiat qui inventore. Ex et veniam laborum iure. Molestiae facere quia ea et alias nobis. Rerum vel libero excepturi in perspiciatis voluptatem sed atque.

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

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 12 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 (15) $434
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 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
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
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...”