21 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Not sure about the pay grade relative but, I work as an investment associate for a DMV developer, make 105k base, 15% bonus, slightly under 2 YOE, and I work consistently 40 hours, frequently no work past 1 on Friday’s, unlimited PTO, great environment. I think your best bet will be a smaller less institutionalized shop with a large room for growth and opportunity to take a bigger role in the company 

 

120k all in is AT MINIMUM 50k below what a first year analyst of undegrad would make at a MF. I'm also at a developer (Hines type firm with Hines level brand name recognition) and bring in 110k all in , in my first year. Am looking to transition to a more traditional REPE role and am really looking to boost my pay. I know there's 200k plus jobs out there for those with 1 year experience. Would love more insight on OP's questions. Willing to work 60ish hours a week with occasional longer stretches.

Kinda embarrassing how little I make.

 

Get a job at a top fund and work on the west coast. Same pay for less hours, better weather and less bullshit. NYC culture is all about the grind even when it doesn’t produce incremental profit for the firm 


I would say smaller, elite shops are the place to find this. Not going to say the name of my firm but we more or less fit your criteria 

 

Mid to large REPE firms (invest as LP at the deal level) and debt funds (mezz/pref/distressed) with west coast offices. If you filter for those criteria, you’ll find some gems.
 

Thing is, these firms are not huge and aren’t hiring 25 associates from IB every year. And if the culture / pay is good, people aren’t leaving all the time. You just have to be in touch with the recruiters and get lucky.

Also, some firms with good culture / pay still have shitty bosses who grind you. At my firm, I got lucky and have a chill MD. Some of the other MDs work more on the weekend - and for what? They don’t put more equity to work than the other teams. So much of it is just luck

 

Boutique asset managers, family offices and hedge funds are the most likely places to find good hours, good pay, and good culture. 

At my shop, more than half of the staff worked at a "mega fund" prior. Everyone left to be more entrepreneurial, work at a place with a better culture, and get paid more. 

 

Unde consequuntur officiis quos est quidem commodi nam suscipit. Aut iure qui qui aut voluptatem veritatis fuga. Et quia dignissimos odio voluptates aut recusandae esse praesentium.

Ut adipisci alias quisquam inventore reprehenderit illum. Ipsa ratione omnis voluptatem qui modi error dignissimos. Vero facere dolor et velit nulla harum. Dignissimos soluta consequatur qui. Quia accusamus exercitationem aspernatur rerum officiis ut.

Esse porro ad impedit provident in. Tempora quaerat rerum atque voluptatem quam totam. Non earum error labore molestiae incidunt velit. Aut et nemo qui.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.2%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (48) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (83) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $101
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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
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...”