Pay for top performing US investment bankers in 2026: $180k-$2.5m
It's 2026 and time to consider whether you were paid fairly for your efforts last year. Most US banks have already announced and paid bonuses, and the disparities are large.
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US recruitment firm Harrison Rush has got some figures. Shown in the table below, they reflect the fact that even top performers are not paid equally at similar firms.
Harrison Rush says total compensation for top ranked bankers starts at $180k (salary plus bonus) for first year analysts and extends to $2.5m+ for managing directors in elite boutiques.
Salaries and bonuses are not broken out for all levels. However, Harrison Rush said previously that bulge bracket managing directors (MDs) receive salaries of between $300k-$450k and that MDs in elite boutiques receive salaries of between $300k and $500k. The rest of their pay is bonus.
Tom Ragland, CEO of Harrison Rush, says the biggest bonus increases went to technology bankers this year. Rival recruiter Meridith Dennes said previously that some top vice presidents (VPs) earned $740k for last year. Ragland has gone $10k higher.
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