Making Manager/Sr Manager at Big 4 Firm vs CFA®

Hey I have a question thats very important in helping me determine my career options..how long does it take to make Manager at a Big 4 accounting firm and how long does it take to make senior manager. How much does an accounting manager and senior manager hope to earn. Also what are the opportunities one has after working for a big 4 firm for 5-7 years in terms of finding a job that pays about 150K and shorter working hours.

Thank you for your time!!

 
Best Response

At a big 4 it should take you about 5 years to become a Manager. You start off as an associate and after 2 years you should become a senior associate (1.5 years if you are a top performer). Then you can expect to become manager after another 3 years (maybe 4, again depends on your performance and sometimes just luck).

Managers will on average make around 125K (advisory group, subtract about 10-15K for tax and audit) and they can definitely make up to 150K. Bonuses can run around 10-20K depending on performance.

Senior manager might take you a while longer, I would say another 2-3 years. They make closer to 150K bonuses closer to 15-25K. I would say upper salary range of around 200K.

I have friends that made director after 9 years. So it is possible to move up quickly, but again a lot of it can depend on luck.

Hope this helps.

 

I dunno. My Dad made partner in eight years at one of the (then) Big 8 firms, though this was back in the early '80s.

He eventually became one of the managing partners and today is nationally recognized as an expert on derivatives taxation. That said, it's a comfortable upper-middle class life, but you'll never make as much money in accounting as you will in banking. You'll also age a lot slower and have more free time, so there's a trade-off.

At most Big Four firms, you can graduate from some school like UW Milwaukee, DePaul, or UIUC and eventually make managing partner. It would be harder to pull off the equivalent in banking (though it wouldn't be harder on the trading side.)

 

Ab repellendus officiis accusantium unde cumque dolor quis non. Quibusdam odit excepturi est voluptas. Qui exercitationem nostrum rerum cumque consectetur omnis et totam. Quod odio iste perspiciatis vel. Maxime consequatur est quia quas laudantium.

Autem labore quasi qui soluta qui omnis ipsa. Esse totam odit voluptatum autem. Et accusantium ex sint.

Autem corrupti voluptas cupiditate placeat tenetur. Dolores qui neque beatae placeat et quia ut labore. Et deserunt vel earum aut similique iure ipsum. Corrupti at tempora et.

Career Advancement Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. New 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (86) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (14) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (205) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (145) $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

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...”