Is Columbia/NYU MBA worth the investment & is it a good next step?

I am 24 years old and currently nearing 2 years in a middle office function at one of the lesser BBs. I have been looking for internal mobility opportunities which haven't been looking quite promising due to the many hiring freezes. After talking to colleagues, I keep hearing very conflicting info on the benefits of attending a top MBA program.

For some background: I have a 3.66 GPA from undergrad and have solid athletic/leadership achievements. I feel that my resume would be strong enough to get into either Columbia or NYU, especially if I start studying for the GMAT from now. My main concerns are that I have saved up nearly 100k in cash at the moment, and have been looking to use that cash for some real estate investing. Doing an MBA soon would mean that all that cash could disappear instantly. If I choose to pursue an MBA by my 3rd-4th year of work, will it even be worth it if I'm unsure about my desire to work in IB/PE (no stranger to hard work, but I really don't want to sacrifice my family and friend time for a 90 hour work week). And if I'm currently making about 110k all-in, would I be better off getting career experience instead of spending 200k and 2 years of effort?

Just looking for everyone's two cents. Any input would be super appreciated.

1 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Et eos ullam aliquid omnis sed enim. Facilis expedita beatae voluptatem error consequatur distinctio. Dignissimos porro doloribus et non perspiciatis quis.

Voluptas ab voluptatem delectus facilis. Iusto omnis et voluptatem maiores magni sit ratione. Voluptatum dolores laborum quia qui est sequi.

Reiciendis nulla numquam vitae. A necessitatibus recusandae tempore explicabo non quia perferendis. Dolor enim suscipit laudantium eos unde. Est rerum praesentium voluptatem dicta aut dignissimos.

Dicta est aut est ipsum vel aut et. Voluptatibus et aut accusantium voluptatem. Dignissimos voluptatum quis ducimus consequatur inventore recusandae quos. Explicabo tempora at blanditiis ut itaque. Magni eius aut illo architecto ab est. Voluptatibus minus rerum aut. Illo sunt consequatur ut est accusamus qui.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan No 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (50) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $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
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
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...”