Is Finance Saturated?

The sense I get from most of you on this forum, is that finance is incredibly saturated. When I ask how someone lands a mediocre AM job, I'm usually told that it's incredibly tough, you have to know the right people, have the right degrees, get lucky, etc. I'm posting this, because I'd like to get your guys opinion on the topic. How saturated/unsaturated is finance? Are there ample opportunities out there these days? Should a lot of us be considering other industries?

8 Comments
 
Best Response

Well the financial industry has contracted a lot and is maybe just beginning to expand a little. Lets remember we have lost two very large firms (Bear and Lehman). Those jobs aren't coming back. Plus this are a lot of talented people who are willing to take these entry jobs. If this was 3-5 years ago I think finding a job would be much easier.

Finance is like this. Tons of people want the top spots. Very few get the spots. Those that don't take BO roles, sales, big 4 accounting, commercial banking, corp finance, etc. When you expand the world of finance to include all of these other opportunities then you will realize how wide open it really is.

Econ, hit me up. I might be able to help you.

 

When I go to interviews and I see the quality of currently out of job finance people I am competing with, it certainly seems like finance is saturated. I'd probably change my mind if I could get a damn job, but for now...

Still not sure if I want to spend the next 30+ years grinding away in corporate finance and the WSO dream chase or look to have enough passive income to live simply and work minimally.
 

Illum in perspiciatis nesciunt officia. Autem asperiores sit quisquam corrupti rerum. Iure autem est ut et voluptate consequatur. Eius at similique eveniet sunt. Qui maxime nisi voluptatem.

Quia porro aut sint libero. Eligendi error expedita itaque et. Ad autem aut odit aperiam sapiente deserunt. Qui sed voluptatem aut debitis sequi aspernatur.

Career Advancement Opportunities

May 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

May 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

May 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

May 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
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
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...”