139 Comments
 

Swinging through the jungle of finance, I've gathered some bananas of wisdom for you. Based on the most helpful WSO content, here's what I can share:

  • Location: Southeast - While the context doesn't provide specific details about compensation changes in the Southeast for 2023 to 2024, it's common for regional differences to affect compensation structures in finance.

  • Industry: Brokerage - The context doesn't mention brokerage specifically, but it's known that brokerage roles can have a variety of compensation structures, often including a base salary plus commission.

  • YOE: 1.5 - With 1.5 years of experience, it's typical to see modest increases in base salary and bonuses as you're still relatively new to the industry.

  • Base: +3% - A 3% increase in base salary is fairly conservative and could be in line with inflation adjustments or cost-of-living increases, rather than a substantial raise due to promotion or exceptional performance.

  • Bonus: 5% of base - A bonus of 5% of your base salary is on the lower end, which might suggest that the role is more heavily reliant on commissions or that the firm has a more conservative bonus structure.

  • Commish: 8% of group's net fees - Commission rates can vary widely, but 8% of the group's net fees could be considered a decent rate, depending on the overall revenue generated by the group.

  • All in: $83ish K - An all-in compensation of around $83,000 for someone with 1.5 years of experience in brokerage in the Southeast seems reasonable, though this can vary based on the firm's performance, the market conditions, and individual performance.

Remember, these are just some general insights. For a more tailored swing through the compensation vines, you might want to compare with others in similar roles within your region or reach out on the WSO forums for more specific chatter. Keep climbing that career tree!

Sources: https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-banking/bonus-season-comps?customgpt=1, Q&A: 3rd Year PE Associate ($10bn+ AUM, MBO/LBO, equity, mezz, distressed debt), Predictions for IB business for 22-23, Sales and Trading Bonuses 2023, S&T Bonus/Comp Thread 2023

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

What’s your hours? And what’s the AUM? How many deals you:team closed?
Sounds low but still in the range given the market transaction volume.

DX
 

It’s kind of a revenue share/carry. So it vests based on the deals the company worked on. I believe only employees that were there that stayed during the acquisition got it. It can never go lower than the initial base amount also. I guess it’s more like RSUs for a non public company. Then the structure turned normal only Directors and above got carry/profit share. 

 

3.5 YOE working at a large merchant developer (1.5 in CRE)
 

Just got word I’ll be promoted from senior analyst -> associate (not actual titles, but our equivalent) when bonuses come out in March. 
 

Currently 103k base and expecting 30-40% bonus (but might end up higher). Comp jump at next title is meaningful, so my expectation is about 125k base and ~190-200k all-in for 2024. Average about 45 hours / wk

 

Honestly, it seems luck had more to do with it than anything. The job listing wasn't heavily posted and I was competing against candidates more senior to me (and therefore more costly). I joined when fairly junior for what I imagine was a decent value from the firm's standpoint and have grown in comp over the past handful of years. Although there are some things the role lacks, overall its a great gig. 

 

Maybe not being fairly compensated, but if you're not bringing in the business why would you get a substantial cut? I know people 5-6 years in not on a top 2-3 team but up there making $300k all in. Again they've said if you want to make more move to the brokerage side from working as an Associate/Senior Associate.

Seems on a top team it's built in business so see if you could move to the execution side? I think it also has to do with the market, where this year was slow for sales so maybe that's why your bonus was low?

 

Yeah already got the bump to associate this summer. You're correct, I'm working at one of those firms on an institutional team (likely one of top 4 teams in the city). Tough to see my comp so low when I have peers on the acqu side making as much if not significantly more for way less work (and less insane senior staff), but appreciate the insight.

 
Most Helpful

Just got bumped to VP so figured I'd share.    

Location: Mountain West

Industry: REPE; primarily direct dev/acq deals on my side of the business, not writing LP checks (though we do have allocator funds that do LP equity/pref). $5-10Bn total equity committed over last 10 years. Latest two funds are both $1Bn+. 

YOE: 11 

Base: $200k 

Cash Bonus: 25% + cut of any acquisition fees + discretionary bonus based on dealflow (highest year was additional 40% of base)

All-In Cash Comp: $250k - 350k, depending on production

Carry: still awaiting final fund carry docs and updated deal-level carry splits, but based on where others at this level have been, fund+deal carry should be in the ~$100k - $300k/year range ($1M - low $2M's over 7-10 years).  Got awarded 2% deal-level carry as an associate (would've been worth ~$500-600k on initial UW), but that market tanked and I don't expect to see a dollar of it. 

Hours: 40-55 typically, at the very worst 65-70 (though that was during associate years on a very lean team with a lot of dealflow). 

I'm sure the Tier 1 city or megafund people will think I'm vastly underpaid in cash, but I love the team, lifestyle in this city, investment thesis, and the asshole factor is incredibly low.  Dream role for me. 

 

Solid on the carry, but you're definitely underpaid on cash comp for a fund that big regardless of where you're located. Those size funds are paying associates that level of cash comp these days and I'm not talking just about CA or NY, although naturally that's where most of the funds are located. Maybe there's a mismatch in title vs. YOE though - I'd say that cash comp is fine for a 1st year VP, but I'd also say a first year VP is typically closer to 7 YOE vs. your 11. Were all 11 of your years in institutional acquisition roles?

 
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First question- yes basically. 
 

Second- hard to say but would be curious how my value add would stack against people who outearn at a similar level. The one thing to bear in mind is this is a REIT and REITs have a rep for lower compensation in general.  That said, lately I’ve been thinking much more frequently about the hours and COL weighing more heavily on the scale than TC

 
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was previous experience within RE? are you expecting analyst-->associate bump soon?

 

I’m at a large regional bank. My hours are generally not terrible for a 1st year, about 50-55 with rarely any weekend work. The bonus isn’t pro-rated, but this year’s is especially low. They try to justify the low bonus by saying I have the flexibility to try different groups as part of the rotational program. I feel Iike I’m treated like an intern in terms of comp lol. For comparison, a full-time first year who isn’t part of the rotational program makes $95-100k base with 25-45% bonus. The gap in comp is terrible. However, Others that have completed the program say they were compensated well once they “placed” in a permanent group.

 

Dang I'm at a GSE and it's not much better. 

Got wacked on bonuses including like admins. I feel the large leap frog from DUS and GSE to Agency will begin. 

To be fair Agency volume was down +25-35% in originations. Seeing many places cut bonuses even more to retain employees or they just are laying people off. Unless there is other avenues of revenue the smaller lenders are going to get smacked. I see high turnover, but the issue is there isn't a lot of places to go. The Agencies are hiring but are very selective right now, but should open up before the other side does. 

I've thought of hopping to a agency. 

 

YOE: MBA + 6 years

Location: HCOL (Non-NYC/SF)

Industry: Development for Multifamily REIT

Base: $195k -> $220k (promotion)

Bonus: $150k (target was $95k)

Target Comp for 2024: $350k (~20% increase in total compensation on promotion)

Hours: 40-45 most weeks

I wish I got more cash comp on the promotion, but hard to complain when my bonus outperformed by so much. 

 

Location: Chicago Industry: Balance Sheet Lender YOE: 4 in RE Title: Jr. Analyst > Analyst Base: Promoted + then Ad-Hoc + Merit in 1 year = ~$106k Bonus: ended ~75% actual. $80k All in = $186k Hours: Flat mf 40.

 

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