Mid-level AM comp

What are y'all seeing for Asset Management comp in the 3-6 YOE (associate to director/AVP) bracket, mainly primary/secondary markets?

For a data point: Top 200 PERE firm (yeah yeah, "means bubkiss" etc etc) Primary west coast market 4 YOE Incoming Associate role Offered $155k + 25% target bonus + $10k moving allowance

Y'all think this is low or within market?

19 Comments
 

Based on the most helpful WSO content, your offer seems to align with market trends for mid-level asset management roles, though it may lean slightly on the lower side depending on the firm and market specifics. Here's a breakdown:

  1. Compensation Benchmarks:

    • For a 3-6 YOE range in asset management, especially in primary/secondary markets, base salaries typically range from $125k to $150k, with bonuses in the 20-40% range.
    • Some data points suggest that at top-performing firms, total compensation (base + bonus) can reach $250k+ for mid-level roles.
  2. Your Offer:

    • $155k base salary: This is slightly above the typical base range for your experience level, which is a positive.
    • 25% target bonus: This is within the expected range but could be on the lower end if compared to firms offering bonuses closer to 40%.
    • $10k moving allowance: This is a nice addition, though not uncommon for relocation packages.
  3. Market Context:

    • At a Top 200 PERE firm, the offer is reasonable but not overly competitive. For example, a 3rd-year analyst at a $20B+ AUM firm in a secondary market reported $100k base + 50-60% bonus. Similarly, a VP in REPE in the Midwest with 45-50 hours/week reported $130k base + 40% bonus + carried interest.

Verdict:

Your offer is within market range, but it could be slightly improved, especially on the bonus side. If the firm has strong growth potential or offers significant career development opportunities, it might still be a solid choice. However, if you're looking for top-tier compensation, you might want to negotiate or explore other firms with higher bonus structures or additional perks like carried interest.

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

For what it's worth, my firm pays $250 - $350k generally all-in for 3-6 YOE, who generally have the Associate title. Large diversified global asset manager. NYC based.

 
Most Helpful

Completely depends on the firm. I would say most firms you'll get your target bonus as long as 1) you don't suck and they want to fire you and 2) firm financial performance is ok. I worked at one shop where I consistently got over my target bonus, and another where I got exactly my target and not a penny more, so it really just depends.

If bonuses are zero it either means the firm had a really bad year and people are probably getting laid off, or you're underperforming and they want you to leave without necessarily firing you.

However, there are some firms where it's based more on math than soft evaluations of performance so it could fluctuate based on whatever metrics they're measuring.

 

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