Investment Banker: career path and pay in the US
Where a Investment Banker goes next, what each step typically pays in the United States, and how exposed the path is to AI replacement. 4 steps, from Analyst to Managing Director / Partner.
Also for the United Kingdom: Investment Banker in the UK
The path
Step 1 · 0 to 2 years
Analyst
$75K to $115K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Series 79 - US, Series 63 - US, CISI - UK/EU.
Step 2 · 2 to 5 years
Associate
$80K to $120K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Series 79 - US, CFA (optional) - Global, CISI - UK/EU.
Step 3 · 5 to 10 years
Vice President / Director
$150K to $225K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Series 79 - US, CISI - UK/EU, MBA (preferred).
Step 4 · 10+ years
Managing Director / Partner
$160K to $240K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Series 79 - US, CISI - UK/EU, MBA.
Exposure and pay along the path
Exposure to AI, now to later
24% → 24%
Stays level across the path. Lower is better.
Typical pay, now to later
$75K to $115K → $160K to $240K
US estimates by job title, Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale US.
What the work involves
Develop quantitative techniques to inform securities investing, equities investing, pricing, or valuation of financial instruments. Develop mathematical or statistical models for risk management, asset optimization, pricing, or relative value analysis.
O*NET does not rate Financial and Investment Analysts separately; the profile shown is for Financial Quantitative Analysts, the nearest rated occupation.
Skills that matter most
- Mathematics
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Active Learning
Knowledge areas
- Mathematics
- Economics and Accounting
- Computers and Electronics
- English Language
- Engineering and Technology
Education people bring
- Master's Degree: 60%
- Bachelor's Degree: 35%
- Doctoral Degree: 5%
Job Zone 5, job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Other paths from here
- Private Equity
- Hedge Fund
- Corporate Development
More Finance paths in the US
Related occupations in O*NET: Data Scientists, Financial Risk Specialists, Financial and Investment Analysts, Statisticians, Operations Research Analysts.
Your own role
How exposed is your job, task by task? Free score in under a minute.
SourcesSalary bands: Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale US, US national averages by job title, retrieved September 2026Skills, knowledge and education: O*NET 31.0 Database
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CC BY 4.0
Salary estimates by job title from Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale, retrieved September 2026. Each band runs from 20% below to 20% above the reported average, rounded to $5K. Exposure percentages and the skills listed under each step are this app's own editorial ratings, not published data.