2013 Start - PE Associate Numbers

Everyone's favorite topic...

What comp #s have Associates in this latest wave of hiring received?

I can start. Larger mid market fund. $270k all in target comp. No carry.

54 Comments
 
highlylevered88all-in. they do allow investment professionals to co-invest though.

Thanks for clarifying. :-)

"I am the hero of the story. I don't need to be saved."
 

Thanks for sharing highlylevered, soc and bankingcy. I will be getting $125k base + $125k bonus + $100k in shadow equity every year. Can someone explain how shadow equity works (want to make sure it checks out with what the firm told me).

Hopefully there are more ppl that share as well...

 

140K base, up to 100% cash bonus for a large MM fund.

Which is more common - for bonuses to be structured as an "up to" or as a X% - X% target zone?

I've personally seen more "up to"'s in friends' offer letters, a couple of megafunds included.

 
BobLoblaw12140K base, up to 100% cash bonus for a large MM fund.

Which is more common - for bonuses to be structured as an "up to" or as a X% - X% target zone?

I've personally seen more "up to"'s in friends' offer letters, a couple of megafunds included.

mind sharing how big the shop is in terms of AUM?

I don't throw darts at a board. I bet on sure things. Read Sun-tzu, The Art of War. Every battle is won before it is ever fought- GG
 

"Up to" is way more common for offer letters - dont really want to commit in writing to what could be interpreted as a minimum bonus

The actual range I gave was just verbal from HR. My offer letter didn't even have an "up to", just said I'd be get a bonus and be eligible for co-invest

 

Right, figured as much. Am I correct in assuming the bonus ranges on the buyside are less volatile than in banking? Like this year for example, no investment bank is hitting the 100% of salary target that we all assumed was feasible when we went in.

 

Can be categorized as megafund or large mm. great to hear more responses. looks like i got a bit less in base (140k seems like the standard for large mm). Still unsure of how my shadow equity works...would love to hear from someone in PE...

 

WallStreetOasis.com, one suggestion for the comp database is to make it searchable by which pe firms actually have comp info. so do a search for all pe firms that have comp data, say for an associate position, and then get a simple output table with three columns: company name, position name, and amount.

Just a suggestion. Thanks for the valuable service you're providing.

T
 
highlylevered88WallStreetOasis.com, one suggestion for the comp database is to make it searchable by which pe firms actually have comp info. so do a search for all pe firms that have comp data, say for an associate position, and then get a simple output table with three columns: company name, position name, and amount.

Just a suggestion. Thanks for the valuable service you're providing.

Yeah, once we give it a full redesign, we will be looking to improve the search and filter functionality on the compensation data and review data.

By Tuesday this week the Company Overview pages will be given a full redesign.

 

My understanding is that shadow or phantom equity is essentially incentive pay that compensates you as if you were an LP. The firm makes a 'phantom' co-investment on your behalf (phantom in that it is not actually contributed to the fund) and pays you the corresponding amount of distributions either when other LPs get distributions or at the end of a set period of time. You are never paid the initial 'principal' since technically it never existed. So what that means on a cash basis is - assuming your fund returns ~20% net IRRs - you'll get ~$20K/year with the benefit of carried interest tax rates but also obviously backloaded 3-5 years out (applying whatever discount rate you think is appropriate). I'm sure different firms do it differently, especially at the associate level, but that's my understanding of the basic principle.

TLDR - you get paid the gains on the principal without ever getting the principal.

 
highlylevered88Everyone's favorite topic...

What comp #s have Associates in this latest wave of hiring received?

I can start. Larger mid market fund. $270k all in target comp. No carry.

So the general consensus seems to be about $220-300 for pre-MBA associates...

Assuming the majority of you have 1-2 years of IB experience, can you comment how this figure might change for someone going straight out of undergrad to a PE shop?

I'm asking specifically because I'm interviewing for an $18bn fund at the pre-MBA assoc. level. These numbers look awesome, but curious if they would be different for somone in my position as I do not have those 1-2 years in IB.

Thanks

 
Best Response
youngbuck90
highlylevered88Everyone's favorite topic...

What comp #s have Associates in this latest wave of hiring received?

I can start. Larger mid market fund. $270k all in target comp. No carry.

So the general consensus seems to be about $220-300 for pre-MBA associates...

Assuming the majority of you have 1-2 years of IB experience, can you comment how this figure might change for someone going straight out of undergrad to a PE shop?

I'm asking specifically because I'm interviewing for an $18bn fund at the pre-MBA assoc. level. These numbers look awesome, but curious if they would be different for somone in my position as I do not have those 1-2 years in IB.

Thanks

For a pre-MBA associate with no IB experience, I'd shift that # significantly down because the PE firms know how much a top IB analyst would make in this economy (~120-150k all in)...they typically don't need to offer you $220k all in out of ugrad unless you are showing them another offer and they really want you.

I'd also drop your range for pre-MBA associates with IB experience by 30-40k. There are plenty of smaller funds out there (think $200-600mm) that will pay in the ~$130-$200k range to the pre-mbas.

Good luck! Patrick

 
SpacemanSpiffNot exactly 2013 start, but I've completed my first year (Pre-MBA) at a >$15B fund. Was in banking for 2 years beforehand.

I received $280k all-in (140/140), which is rising to $300k all-in (150/150) this coming year (2nd year). No carry or phantom equity.

Hope that helps

obviously that is great comp, why is the increase from 1st to 2nd year so (relatively) low - I would have expcted to see a bigger jump.
 
samoanboy
SpacemanSpiffNot exactly 2013 start, but I've completed my first year (Pre-MBA) at a >$15B fund. Was in banking for 2 years beforehand.

I received $280k all-in (140/140), which is rising to $300k all-in (150/150) this coming year (2nd year). No carry or phantom equity.

Hope that helps

obviously that is great comp, why is the increase from 1st to 2nd year so (relatively) low - I would have expcted to see a bigger jump.

I dunno. My fund is stingy? What do you want me to say? Pre-MBA associates are still low level peons in the PE hierarchy.

 

Not to revive a dead thread, but can anyone shed some light on mid-level comp figures (Principal / Director) at large MM / MF? Understood md/partner salary is a function of performance/carry (and can be backed out given you can calculate total fees relatively easily), but how much of this goes to the mid level guys?

 

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