PE Associate Offer - Comp Too Low?

Accepted a 2021 offer at a MM PE shop in a Tier 2 City: Chicago/DC/Atlanta. AUM of $1B+ and raising a fund of around $500M. I thought the salary they offered $100K base + 100% bonus target was street, but I am seeing a lot threads saying that street is closer to $250K. Anyone have any clarity around this?

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Agree that $200k is certainly market for a MM fund of that fund size, especially in a Tier 2 city. If you're $200k or above, that's more or less market for MM PE, whether you're in a Tier 1 or Tier 2 city.

I would also caution folks to not get so focused on $200k vs. $250k for an Associate role. $50k pre-tax is like $30k post-tax. In the grand scheme of things, that's immaterial relative to thinking about whether an opportunity will set you up for the medium to long-term (be it staying at the same firm or giving you the right learning experiences for the next career move).

Focus more on learning experience, responsibility, and long-term career advancement. And that does not mean MF/UMM or bust. There are plenty of MM/LMM firms that regularly hit >3x CoC but aren't particularly well known. There's absolutely nothing with trying to develop a career in a firm like that (and depending on the person, arguably better than MF/UMM). As you gain more work experience, you'll learn to appreciate MF/UMM vs. MM/LMM is highly dependent on an individual's situation. I know experienced folks (>5 yrs of work) that turned down MF/UMM opportunities because lifestyle sacrifices weren't worth the pay (not to say MM/LMM automatically equals better lifestyle) or they realized it's much harder to set yourself apart and move up in MF/UMM.

 

200 is fine? whats real on this forum. analysts making 180k their first year or pe associates making 200k?

then we have guys in tech making 240-270k after 3 years at a fang, working from 11am-4pm. If the kid from stern who told me to abandon my cs degree was still in country, i'd strangle him with a shoe string and feed him to the homeless in skid row

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"Jamie_Diamond" 200 is fine? whats real on this forum. analysts making 180k their first year or pe associates making 200k?

then we have guys in tech making 240-270k after 3 years at a fang, working from 11am-4pm. If the kid from stern who told me to abandon my cs degree was still in country, i'd strangle him with a shoe string and feed him to the homeless in skid row

They're all real. $180K+ is Centerview/Qatalyst. $200K is a PE fund that's yet to raise a $500M fund, so previous fund probably $250-350M. FAANG fresh grad is $150-180K, lateral to another in 2-3 years or get promoted and ur at $250K easy.

 

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