Money Talks - Am I Being Fairly Compensated?

Posting anonymously for obvious reasons - have hit a point where I'm thinking about options both at and not at my current fund, and I'm still at a point in my career where comp really matters in terms of life needs and goals (savings milestones, paying down student debt). Problem is I don't have a great way to benchmark if my current/expected comp is fair or "market"?

I've always found talking to co-workers (both previously in IB and now in PE) about comp really touchy and pretty taboo. Being in LMM/MMM PE that has such a wide range of comp and comp structures make this even harder. How have people in this space approached these kinds of conversations, whether with co-workers or with senior people/HR? How have you been able to determine if you're being paid below your value to the firm (or worse, co-workers of equal title and experience) - how have you been able to advocate for yourself?

2 Comments
 

If you have a really good relationship with a headhunter (ideally not the one that placed you in the job) they could be helpful. Pretty easy just to say "considering opportunities both at my current fund and potentially elsewhere, but I'd like to get a sense for where I'm at compared to 'market' comp."

This definitely needs to be with someone you know well though. Headhunters can be kind of slimy but they have better market data than anyone else.

 

Nulla ut eum omnis ea vitae aliquam dolorem. Est hic cumque tempora tempora.

Officiis provident minima omnis ducimus cupiditate. Repudiandae ut illum velit qui.

Dolore numquam quasi quod perspiciatis. Quo nam deleniti est. Sequi in pariatur fugiat aliquid id. Magni blanditiis sit totam quos laborum alias eius. Sunt fugit nemo fugit asperiores aliquam. Eligendi et voluptates vero. Totam nihil et blanditiis.

Voluptas omnis in consequatur aperiam eos error beatae. Sequi qui blanditiis sit asperiores enim tempora.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.6%
  • Blackstone Group 99.3%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.9%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.5%
  • Vista Equity Partners 98.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Private Equity

  • Blackstone Group 99.6%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 99.3%
  • The Riverside Company 98.9%
  • Ardian 98.5%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Private Equity

  • Bain Capital 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.3%
  • Blackstone Group 98.9%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.5%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (24) $547
  • Vice President (99) $363
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (104) $281
  • 2nd Year Associate (235) $272
  • 1st Year Associate (411) $229
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (33) $157
  • 2nd Year Analyst (97) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (272) $124
  • Intern/Summer Associate (38) $81
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (355) $61
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

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...”