career paths and salaries from IB to PE

Hi,

So I hear a lot of chatter about the MF of the world, and as someone just penetrating finance, now my brain is wired to think KKR or bust or Carlyle or bust or apollo or bust, etc. in the long-term. Yet, as of rn, my most feasible option is to join a MM bank that has a strong presence in tech, and I'm wondering what salary and career paths are available for me through that decision. If I were to work two full-time years at the bank, and then go to a top b-school, could I switch over to a PE firm that pays well, even if it's not a MF? Sorry if that's a stupid question. And what would that salary progression look like over the next 10 years in a non-MF PE place (say I enter the PE firm at 26), assuming I'm not a total doorknob and am like a 70-80 percentile worker? The end game here is to be a 38-yr old millionaire, married and not divorced, have exactly four kids, be a soccer fan who can afford those roundtrip tickets to London for the weekend matches, and not hate my life; is that feasible with this plan?

Thanks

6 Comments
 

Id quibusdam asperiores voluptas. Ducimus culpa maxime molestiae molestiae odit.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.3%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (78) $151
  • 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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
dosk17's picture
dosk17
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...”