NYC IB to Los Angeles PE

I'm starting as a FT analyst in NYC this year and am considering recruiting for a PE position in Los Angeles after my analyst gig or even after working as an IB associate for a couple of years. Does anyone have experience or advice for moving from a NYC M&A group to a PE shop in LA after 3-6 years in NYC? Grew up and went to school on the west coast FYI.

8 Comments
 

I personally did not move from NYC to LA (did banking in LA) for PE, but know plenty of analysts who moved across the country for their next gig so it's definitely manageable. While I can't comment on how you would juggle recruiting while working, I think that if you are vocal about your location preference to headhunters it shouldn't be difficult to get opportunities, especially given that you're originally from the area. I would recommend connecting with Carter Pierce, as they manage a lot of solid PE firms on the West Coast.

 
Most Helpful

Personally enjoyed LA banking. I think the culture here is inherently more laid back compared to NY (while I had my fair share of 100 hour weeks, don't think it's as hardcore and sharp elbows as NY probably is). The weather is nice, there's lots to do when you're not working, and most of the senior bankers in my office have outdoor hobbies and travel a lot too, which makes it easier on the junior side when they're gone. The LA finance community is small, but I kind of enjoy that aspect and still think there are plenty of excellent opportunities for IB/PE. Not to say that there aren't any negatives (traffic is a huge one, and the stereotypes of the basic people/culture you hear about LA can definitely be true), but in general I'm glad I did my stint here and not NYC.

 

Thanks for the info! Can you talk a bit more about your experience in banking in LA? For example, what areas did you/most junior bankers live in and go out at night? Also, do you have any experience with how some of the different banks compare?

 

I think a lot tend to live on the westside -- so around Westwood / Santa Monica / West LA / Brentwood / Culver City. It's close to the beach and close to Century City, which is where a lot of banks are located. I think most people tend to avoid DTLA -- there are some good spots to check out down there but no one really lives in downtown because traffic sucks, it can be dirtier / more homeless people, probably far away from work, and there are plenty of places to go out in SM, Venice, WeHo, etc.

There's a good recent post somewhere that summarized the LA offices better than I could.

 

Ad mollitia blanditiis expedita voluptatum nostrum. Quis in ratione quia rerum aperiam quaerat officiis quia. Tempore voluptatem cum in consequatur ea qui dignissimos commodi. Et ut est aut nostrum quasi sint. Quisquam voluptatem vel sint et dolores.

Impedit et dolorum quo enim. Amet accusantium odit rerum laboriosam dolor suscipit. Expedita voluptatem qui aspernatur possimus officiis nesciunt illo. Qui molestiae voluptas quasi eos veniam nihil. Iusto molestiae nulla repudiandae aut nostrum. Culpa voluptatem eaque ex cum ut.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (75) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (68) $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
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
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...”