Realistic Salary of an IB

<p>Investment Baking compensation levels have both structure and variance. In general the packages at the bottom (or even through the middle) of most groupings are highly structured. It is commodity pricing. 3rd year Analysts make a specific average amount which is x% higher than 2nd year Analysts which is y% higher than 1st year analysts. The leading IBs set the scales since second tier IBs are unlike to attract anyone by simply paying more (which in the long run dooms the profitability of the second tier banks). The next factor is up or out. If you are better than your peers (or simply lucky enough to be in a hot sector), you earn more and are in like to move up the hierarchy of titles. You are very unlikely to remain an Analyst for 4 or 5 or more years. The same is generally true at every level. It is a pyramid - move up or move out. IF you are in a bank that is doing well AND IF you are superior to your peers AND IF your sector is very profitable OR IF your sector is very hot OR IF some other bank or banks are heavily recruiting for people at your level in your area of expertise, you can make immense amounts of money and it doesn’t have to be at Goldman Sachs. Just remember that every single one of your competitors intends to bury you on their way up the pyramid.</p>

<p>I can assure you that a VP on wall street, or anywhere in NYC is making well beyond 1 million dollars a year</p>

<p>on websites when they list salaries these are not including bonuses right?</p>

<p>In the 80s, my parents came to the States with nothing but a couple hundred bucks and a couple suitcases full of clothes. Reading this thread is intoxicating.</p>