What do most investment bankers major in?
To become an investment banker, you need a minimum of a bachelor's degree. Common majors are finance, business, economics, and accounting.
College Degrees
A college degree in finance or economics is typically the starting point for entry-level jobs at an investment bank. Accounting and business are also common educational backgrounds.
Most investment banks prefer degrees in finance, accounting, business administration, and other business disciplines. Undergraduate degree subjects are less influential in the hiring process if a candidate has a master's degree in business administration, finance, or another highly relevant subject.
Bankers often have degrees in business management, finance, economics, or mathematics and can begin their career after graduating with a bachelor's. There are several career paths within banking including investment banking, personal banking, wealth management, and bank management.
- University of Pennsylvania.
- Georgetown University.
- Harvard University.
- Columbia University.
- New York University.
- Cornell University.
- University of Notre Dame.
- University of Michigan.
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. Investment banking associates are typically hired after business school.
1. Goldman Sachs is the highest paying bank overall - $398k in combined salaries and bonuses, on average. Goldman Sachs, which paid average salaries of $200k and average bonuses of $199k for 2023, was the highest paying bank we polled.
A business major is not required as banks want diverse analyst classes and open themselves to all majors. However, the vast majority of bankers are finance or economics majors. Majors are irrelevant at universities like Harvard, but become more important as students progress down the prestige ladder.
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.
Investment banking is one of Wall Street's most coveted roles. It is also one of the hardest. It is no surprise that the average day in an investment banker's life is long and stressful. Those who manage to survive the adjustment period often go on to have long and financially rewarding careers.
What school does Goldman Sachs hire from?
For example, Penn's first top employer is Goldman Sachs, because more Penn (undergraduate) alumni work at Goldman Sachs than at any of the other twelve banking firms.
Investment Banking Target Schools Definition: “Target schools” send significant numbers of their students into investment banking each year and have broad alumni networks in the industry; large banks focus their recruiting efforts on these schools and often reserve spots for a fixed number of students at each target ...
University of California, Berkeley and University of Michigan send plenty of graduates to J.P. Morgan, though they are two of the largest schools in the rankings, so their placement percentage isn't quite as high as those in the top 10.
Does GPA Matter for Investment Banking Jobs? Yes, GPA matters! Bulge bracket banks and almost all other investment banks will look at your GPA when applying for a job and you should include it in your resume. Typically banks screen resumes based on GPA and will often remove anyone below 3.5.
- Major: Accounting/finance (or, if your university doesn't have these specific majors, something that has coursework in these areas).
- Minor: Computer science, math, or statistics.
Investment banks have a growing demand for individuals with a background in computer science as they constantly seek out ways to automate their systems and streamline operations. By leveraging your technical expertise, you will stand out as a valuable asset to top firms.
- Entrepreneur.
- Entertainer.
- Law Firm Partner.
- Pro Athlete.
- Hedge Fund Manager.
- Real Estate Agent.
- Software Developer.
- E-commerce Business Owner.
Investment bankers make money through the fees charged to their clients. As discussed above, this includes underwriting fees for arranging the sale of securities and advisory fees for providing strategic guidance.
How can you earn a six-figure salary at top investment banking firms without any experience in 2023. 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.
What Are the Big 4 Investment Banks? The big four are JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and Morgan Stanley. Some other global giants are treading on their heels, including Deutsche Bank, Barclays, Credit Suisse, and UBS. There are at least 100 highly-regarded global investment banks.
Which job has the highest salary in the world?
- Chief Executive Officer(CEO) The top position in the hierarchy of any organization is that of the CEO. ...
- Anesthesiologist. Being the highest paying job in the USA, an Anesthesiologist is among the best-paid jobs in the world. ...
- General Surgeons. ...
- Psychiatrist. ...
- Data Scientists.
- Chief financial officer. ...
- Private equity associate. ...
- Hedge fund manager. ...
- Insurance advisor. ...
- Financial advisor. ...
- Compliance analyst. ...
- Information technology auditor. ...
- Investment banker. Investment bankers help businesses and government groups invest their money.
Minimum overall GPA of 3.5. Relevant internship experience (preferred) Accounting, security analysis, and financial modeling skills. Strong communications skills, both written and oral.
The University of Notre Dame is a top-ranked U.S. university and is a phenomenal school for investment banking placement. Notre Dame ranks #7 on our investment banking target school list, boasting a strong number of hires into the top investment banks.
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.
