PE vs FP&A ?

Hi all,

I would appreciate some advice. I’m faced with a choice between PE v FP&A and I’m not sure which one to pick. For those of you who value PE above else, spare a moment to consider my situation.

I am a 2nd year analyst at a LMM PE coinvestment fund and I think I’m being underpaid. Got an offer at a MM PE backed tech company on a strong growth trajectory (ARR from 30M to 300M in ~5 years) as FP&A senior associate, 120k base with 25% bonus and 1,000 equity units, which is ~10% higher than what I am currently making (without including the equity).

My career plan is to go to grad school after having 2-3 years PE experience and after becoming associate, in the hopes of getting an offer at a larger PE fund or BB after the MBA (former associates at the fund have entered into M7 programs and then went into MM PE or consulting at MBB).

Do you think it would make sense to pivot into FP&A for a couple years instead and then pursuing the MBA? Or it would make more sense to remain in my current fund despite the lower pay considering that I would like to work in PE/IB after grad school?

My main driver to consider this offer is better work/life balance, higher pay, and testing new waters in the corporate world, but I don’t know if that will affect my chances of getting into a top MBA and getting a good job after.

Another alternative could be showing the offer to my boss and ask to match it, but I don’t know if that could harm our relationship and him ending up telling me to take the other offer.

For some context I spent 1 year doing M&A at an elite boutique in Mexico City before joining the PE fund.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.