Finance Analysts Pay...After 1st Year + other Concerns. Help!

For the most part, Finance Analysts in IBs start:

55K 5-10K signing XK bonus?

What can I expect to see base salary for 2nd and even 3rd year, assuming I do not get to find a better opportunity year 3. Hopefully someone can shed some light, as most people only focus on the 1st year base pay.

Furthermore, bonuses...I know recently, they might not be so good. How about if the market recovers a little, and is more stable. What has been the bonus trends on average (throughout all groups, if that even matters.)

I have a very small chance of hitting IB because of my GPA. But honestly, I do not think it is right for me anyways (okay, that's my excuse for having a suck ass GPA.) But I am concerned that if I don't go the IB/PE/HF route, what my other options/salaries will look like.

Should I just do accounting? Har! (Finance group is like Corp. Acct anyways yeah?)

Thanks!

4 Comments
 

I'd imagine you'd get a bonus like ops, which would likely be $5k in a good year. Salary would likely rise 5-8% a year. Not bad pay if you aren't living in a really expensive city, but $65-70k all-in for NYC is barely surviving if you have to live in Manhattan.

 
Best Response

i work in finance/accounting at a boutique in NYC for a capital markets division - product controller. of all the back/middle office job this group is the highest pay of any of them (operations, risk, corporate accounting) and the most opportunity to learn as you interact with all the groups in the firm.

my annualized all in comp each year was the following:

2005 (5 months): 52K 2006: 60K 2007: 70K

My boss told me to expect to make 80-90 this year after bonus.

If you work at a place like goldman you will probably make significantly more. My pay was 8% raises each year to my base and 20-25% bonus which was the highest % in my group.

I am currently trying to move internally at my company to more of a front office job. If that doesnt happen I will be looking elsewhere and preparing for b-school.

Finance/accounting can be a great a stable career if you enjoy that line of work. Hope this helps.

 

Consequatur qui sint soluta quae. Commodi in dolorum nihil quia nihil quibusdam aut. At nemo facere neque eum inventore laboriosam enim voluptate. Soluta nam aut est debitis illum.

Praesentium quidem nulla illum temporibus reprehenderit. Eligendi sit eius ipsa.

Autem itaque repellendus inventore et harum voluptatibus quo minima. Temporibus dolore magnam laudantium consequatur dolores nihil libero. Tempore sed excepturi blanditiis sint. Ducimus non enim perspiciatis quia.

Sit voluptas consequatur ut dolore nobis est. Pariatur adipisci debitis saepe culpa. Adipisci inventore ipsam unde eaque. Qui aut laborum laborum.

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 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 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 97.2%

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
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
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
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
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...”