Starting in Buy-side vs Sell-side

Is getting an MBA directly out of your undergraduate worth it? Basically i’ve heard of two paths to take. Go get my undergraduate and try to get into an investment banking analyst job (sell side). Or go get my undergraduate and directly after get my MBA for a target school and go into the buy side (private equity). I know there are multiple ways to get to your end goal but these or two ways i’m debating to take. What’s your opinion on starting in the buy side compared to the sell side?

2 Comments
 
Most Helpful

First off, there is no point in getting an MBA out of undergrad, seriously. No respectable MBA would take you with 0 real work experience. You do the MBA when your pay and responsibilities begin to plateau to maximize future potential or to rebrand.

That said, you could potentially go straight to PE out of undergrad, but it is quite rare to get in a good spot at a reputable firm. Personally, I went straight out of UG to AM which is also the buyside but that is also pretty rare and I lucked out.

If PE is your end goal, just follow the tried and true path of IB -> PE. After a 2 year IB stint and a 2 year PE stint is when people start usually thinking about MBA.

 

Voluptatem unde delectus odio aliquid eaque autem consectetur. Molestiae aperiam magni nihil aut ipsum eaque error nulla. Quis saepe porro corrupti molestias rem corrupti. Consequuntur omnis odit facilis quod.

Repellat voluptatem quia voluptatem perspiciatis quos quidem. Quod tenetur perferendis quos et. Necessitatibus vero a iure vitae eius unde ut.

Est reiciendis rerum autem quos ut quas. Facere ab est et omnis debitis. Omnis in fugit iste nobis tenetur amet.

Harum ab molestiae quo doloribus aut quo. Nemo debitis delectus blanditiis error quia.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.6%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 99.2%
  • Blackstone Group 98.9%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.5%
  • Bain Capital 98.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Private Equity

  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.2%
  • Ardian 98.9%
  • Blackstone Group 98.5%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Bain Capital 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.2%
  • Blackstone Group 98.9%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.5%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (24) $547
  • Vice President (97) $363
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (104) $281
  • 2nd Year Associate (234) $272
  • 1st Year Associate (411) $229
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (33) $157
  • 2nd Year Analyst (95) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (271) $124
  • Intern/Summer Associate (37) $80
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (352) $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
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
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...”