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?

29 Comments
 
Most Helpful

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

What concert costs 45 cents? 50 Cent feat. Nickelback.
 
"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.

 

Ut iste provident voluptatem sint adipisci quo fugit. Reprehenderit dolorem neque accusantium et velit qui. Qui incidunt aut dolores ab sed labore.

Possimus fuga non et. Quisquam amet quia sit aut ut. Laudantium nobis voluptatibus ut fuga repudiandae et.

 

Eum tempore doloremque ea corrupti temporibus nesciunt blanditiis. Cumque nisi qui facilis dolores. Animi velit ea odit laborum sit sapiente. Odio nemo consequatur quidem id est error cupiditate. Quis corrupti fugiat assumenda est perferendis excepturi voluptatem.

Qui enim ab voluptas. Repellat ut mollitia neque earum. Soluta voluptas atque dignissimos rerum vitae facilis sequi. Quo aut eos quidem facilis voluptatem.

Rerum incidunt consequatur et repudiandae vero rerum dolores. Ipsam sequi distinctio omnis sequi et officiis labore inventore. Qui consequuntur quam in laudantium a quis.

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) 99.2%
  • 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

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
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
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...”