Is comp in finance decreasing?

Is comp on in IB and PE decreasing every year? I've heard people argue that since bonuses are getting smaller each year, tech is looking to be a nice alternative to IB and PE jobs because of an overall lower revenue coming to banks and PE firms.

Are bonuses actually decreasing or is this just a falsehood to make finance look bad? Obviously bonuses arent comparable to what they were like in 2007 but has there been a large decrease from 2012 to the present for example?

7 Comments
 

Compensation in IBD has increased meaningfully since 2007. Bonuses definitely decreased during the recession, but overall compensation has very much rebounded. While bonuses may still be lower, the base salaries have gone up significantly. To put it into perspective, when I was an analyst in 2007 the bulge bracket banks were paying analysts base salaries of $60,000.

CompBanker’s Career Guidance Services: https://www.rossettiadvisors.com/
 

Also keep in mind that the 60000 you talk about isn’t adjusted for inflation, it’s real value may have very little change from current comp packages

 

Have a good buddy who just started with a well known social media firm in Silicon Valley. Straight out of undergrad (nothing special, no Ivy League) and his starting salary is $127,000 before bonus. Its not the ultimate thing, but it is nothing to ignore.

“The three most harmful addictions are heroin, carbohydrates, and a monthly salary.” - Nassim Taleb
 

Sed nostrum cumque asperiores laboriosam. Voluptas consectetur ea et dolor error. Aut minus quidem esse voluptatum ab eveniet. Est id et autem expedita corrupti qui minima. Vero id alias nesciunt sint sunt. Fugit quidem et minus harum dicta velit adipisci. Unde consequatur enim dolorem rerum modi dolorum ut.

Was obsessed with finance, now do product in tech

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 (65) $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
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
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...”