Who invests in investment banks?
Investment bank clients include corporations, pension funds, other financial institutions, governments, and hedge funds.
Investment banks' clients include corporations, pension funds, other financial institutions, governments, and hedge funds. The best investment banks are usually the largest. The more connections the bank has within the market, the more likely it is to profit.
In general, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that Financial Management professionals, including investment bankers, typically enter the field with a bachelor's undergraduate degree and at least five years of experience in a related field.
Investment bankers tend to be predominantly enterprising individuals, which means that they are usually quite natural leaders who thrive at influencing and persuading others. They also tend to be conventional, meaning that they are usually detail-oriented and organized, and like working in a structured environment.
Investment banks act as intermediaries between investors (who have money to invest) and corporations (who require capital to grow and run their businesses).
In the U.S., the top investment banking companies include the Big Four Banks — JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo.
Three of the top schools that investment banks consistently interview and hire from include the University of Pennsylvania, New York University, and the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Beyond the top schools, the Ivy League schools, such as Harvard, are also key spots that investment banks look to hire from.
The lucrative and fast-paced career of an investment banker is a highly competitive one. For instance, in a recent year, 236,000 applicants competed for roughly 3,500 internships at Goldman Sachs. This is common across the industry where acceptance rates for programs are typically less than 2%.
Age Range: It's nearly impossible to reach this level before your early 30's, so we'll say 35-50 for the range. Few MDs continue working until the official retirement age (65-70); it's a stressful, high-pressure job, and past a certain net worth, it's just not worth it.
The demand for coveted positions in investment banks consistently exceeds the available supply, making it a highly selective field. Statistics indicate that acceptance rates for top investment banks, such as JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs, typically range between a mere 3% to 5%.
Why do people go into investment banking?
Investment banking offers the opportunity to become an expert at building large, complex financial models at the earliest stage of your career. While bankers aren't necessarily great investors, they do spend a lot of time on valuation work, and this can be an excellent way to start your career.
J.P. Morgan is a leader in investment banking, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management.
Investment banking is a demanding and competitive field that can take a toll on your physical and mental health. Long hours, high pressure, and tight deadlines can cause stress, burnout, and anxiety. However, there are ways to cope with these challenges and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Lastly, investment banks sometimes partner with or create venture capital or private equity funds to raise money and invest in private assets. The idea is to buy a promising target company, often with a lot of leverage, and then resell or take the company public after it becomes more valuable.
- JPMorgan Chase.
- Goldman Sachs.
- BofA Securities.
- Morgan Stanley.
- Citigroup.
- UBS.
- Deutsche Bank.
- HSBC.
Can you become a millionaire as an investment banker? It is possible to become a millionaire as an investment banker, but it is not easy. Investment bankers typically earn salaries in the $200,000 to $700,000 range, with bonuses that can bring their total income up to several million dollars per year.
Investment Banking Career Path
As an associate, compensation rises significantly. The next level up is Vice President, which can make upwards of 500k. Highest on the food chain is the Managing Director, who makes anywhere from 500k to several million dollars.
On average, a first-year investment banker makes a 5-digit salary, in the range of $70,000 – $90,000, while a 7-digit salary is considered above average and is difficult to achieve for most people in their careers.
| Position Title | Typical Age Range | Base Salary (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Associate | 25-35 | $175-$225K |
| Vice President (VP) | 28-40 | $250-$300K |
| Director / Senior Vice President (SVP) | 32-45 | $300-$350K |
| Managing Director (MD) | 35-50 | $400-$600K |
University of Pennsylvania is no surprise and they are very clearly the overall best school for finance placement. UPenn dominates investment banking recruiting and even sends dozens of people directly into great private equity firms and hedge funds every year.
What college do most investment bankers go to?
Investment banks tend to recruit from a variety of top universities, but some of the most common recruiting schools include Ivy League universities such as Harvard, Princeton, and Yale, as well as other prestigious universities like Stanford, MIT, and the University of Chicago.
- Goldman Sachs & Co.
- Morgan Stanley.
- J.P. Morgan.
- Centerview Partners.
- Evercore.
- Lazard.
- PJT Partners.
- Moelis & Company.
The typical investment banker has a graduate degree in business from an Ivy League school or other top-tier university and superior educational credentials [i.e., excellent grades (minimum 3.50 GPA), active participation in business and investment clubs, and participation in at least one internship or summer program at ...
Of the two careers, investment banking requires greater quantitative acumen and math skills. The educational requirements for becoming a lawyer are much more rigid than those for becoming an investment banker.
But if you're 30, graduated from university at 22, and have 8 years of full-time experience, along with a mid-level position at a large company, it will be more difficult. It's still possible, but the success probability is much lower.
