Investment Banker Salary

Overview Syllabus Career Fees Admission process Investment Banker Salary

Updated on Jul 03, 2025

Akangsha Das

Investment banking is one of the highest-paying professions in the financial sector, with phenomenal salary packages that shoot off the roof with performance and experience. Junior analysts at top Indian investment banks earn between INR 10 to INR 20 lakhs a year, including bonuses. Initial salaries in U.S. and other global financial hubs are over USD 100,000 a year, with tens of millions as basic salary, bonuses, and incentives for top professionals. Salaries vary between banks, locations, roles (analyst, associate, VP), and deal volumes.

The most typical degree held by most professionals to work as an investment banker is a finance, economics, commerce, or business administration degree. They tend to pursue an MBA from top schools like IIMs, ISB, or foreign institutions like Wharton or LBS and can command starting salaries very high. CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) or FRM (Financial Risk Manager) type certifications are very much in demand from the market. Investment banks' training and internships typically cover topics like financial modeling, mergers & acquisitions, corporate finance, and valuation- abilities required to do the job.

Table of Contents

Investment Banker Salary after Experience
Investment Banker Salary after different level of study
Investment Banker Salary as per Designation
Investment Banker Salary in Some Top Cities
Investment Banker Salary in Abroad Countries
Skills Acquired after Investment Banker
Investment Banker Salary FAQs

Investment Banker Salary after Experience

Some of the job roles available for Investment Bankers have been listed below along with the expected salary and the required experience:

Job Role	Experience Required	Average Salary (Per Annum in INR)
Analyst	0–1 years	INR 8 – INR 15 lakhs
Analyst	1–2 years	INR 12 – INR 20 lakhs
Senior Analyst	2–3 years	INR 18 – INR 25 lakhs
Associate	3–4 years	INR 25 – INR 35 lakhs
Associate	4–5 years	INR 30 – INR 40 lakhs
Senior Associate	5–6 years	INR 35 – INR 50 lakhs
Vice President (VP)	6–7 years	INR 45 – INR 60 lakhs
Vice President (VP)	7–9 years	INR 55 – INR 75 lakhs
Director	9–11 years	INR 70 – INR 90 lakhs
Director	11–13 years	INR 85 lakhs – INR 1.1 crore
Executive Director	13–15 years	INR 1 crore – INR 1.5 crore
Executive Director	15–17 years	INR 1.3 crore – INR 1.8 crore
Managing Director (MD)	17–20 years	INR 1.8 crore – INR 3 crore
Managing Director (MD)	20+ years	INR 3 crore – INR 5+ crore

Investment Banker Salary after different level of study

The salary of an Investment Banker varies significantly depending on the level of education attained.

Job Role	Experience Required	Education Level Required	Average Salary (Per Annum in INR)
Analyst	0–1 years	Bachelor’s Degree (Finance/Economics)	INR 8 – INR 15 lakhs
Analyst	1–2 years	Bachelor’s Degree	INR 12 – INR 20 lakhs
Senior Analyst	2–3 years	Bachelor’s + CFA (optional)	INR 18 – INR 25 lakhs
Associate	3–4 years	MBA / Master’s / CFA	INR 25 – INR 35 lakhs
Associate	4–5 years	MBA / Master’s	INR 30 – INR 40 lakhs
Senior Associate	5–6 years	MBA / CFA	INR 35 – INR 50 lakhs
Vice President (VP)	6–7 years	MBA / CFA + Work Experience	INR 45 – INR 60 lakhs
Vice President (VP)	7–9 years	MBA / CFA	INR 55 – INR 75 lakhs
Director	9–11 years	MBA + Industry Experience	INR 70 – INR 90 lakhs
Director	11–13 years	MBA + CFA	INR 85 lakhs – INR 1.1 crore
Executive Director	13–15 years	MBA + CFA	INR 1 crore – INR 1.5 crore
Executive Director	15–17 years	MBA + CFA	INR 1.3 crore – INR 1.8 crore
Managing Director (MD)	17–20 years	MBA + Extensive Experience	INR 1.8 crore – INR 3 crore
Managing Director (MD)	20+ years	MBA + Industry Leadership	INR 3 crore – INR 5+ crore
Managing Director (Global)	20+ years	MBA + Global Experience	INR 5 crore +

Investment Banker Salary as per Designation

Investment banker salaries vary widely based on designation, experience, and the size of the firm. As professionals move up the hierarchy- from entry-level analysts to managing directors- their compensation increases significantly, often including hefty bonuses tied to deal performance.

Job Role	Experience Required	Average Salary (Per Annum in INR)
Analyst Junior	0–1 year	INR 8 – INR 12 lakhs
Analyst Senior	1–2 years	INR 12 – INR 18 lakhs
Analyst Lead	2–3 years	INR 18 – INR 22 lakhs
Associate Junior	3–4 years	INR 22 – INR 28 lakhs
Associate Senior	4–5 years	INR 28 – INR 35 lakhs
Senior Associate	5–6 years	INR 35 – INR 45 lakhs
Vice President (VP) Junior	6–7 years	INR 45 – INR 55 lakhs
Vice President (VP) Senior	7–9 years	INR 55 – INR 70 lakhs
Director Junior	9–10 years	INR 70 – INR 80 lakhs
Director Senior	10–12 years	INR 80 lakhs – INR 1 crore
Executive Director Junior	12–14 years	INR 1 crore – INR 1.3 crore
Executive Director Senior	14–16 years	INR 1.3 crore – INR 1.7 crore
Managing Director Junior	16–18 years	INR 1.7 crore – INR 2.5 crore
Managing Director Senior	18–20 years	INR 2.5 crore – INR 3.5 crore
Managing Director (Global)	20+ years	INR 3.5 crore – INR 5+ crore

Investment Banker Salary in Some Top Cities

The salary for Chemical engineers varies from one city to another, a city with less expense will have a lesser salaries compared to developed cities or metro cities. Below mentioned are some roles for Chemical engineers along with the expected salary in various cities of India.

Job Role	City	Experience Required	Average Salary (Per Annum)
Analyst	Mumbai	0–2 years	INR 10 – INR 18 lakhs
Analyst	Delhi	0–2 years	INR 8 – INR 15 lakhs
Analyst	Bengaluru	0–2 years	INR 7 – INR 14 lakhs
Associate	Mumbai	3–5 years	INR 25 – INR 40 lakhs
Associate	Delhi	3–5 years	INR 20 – INR 35 lakhs
Associate	Bengaluru	3–5 years	INR 18 – INR 30 lakhs
Vice President	Mumbai	6–9 years	INR 55 – INR 75 lakhs
Vice President	Delhi	6–9 years	INR 45 – INR 65 lakhs
Vice President	Bengaluru	6–9 years	INR 40 – INR 60 lakhs
Director	Mumbai	10–13 years	INR 80 lakhs – INR 1.2 crore
Director	Delhi	10–13 years	INR 70 lakhs – INR 1 crore
Director	Bengaluru	10–13 years	INR 65 lakhs – INR 95 lakhs
Managing Director	Mumbai	15+ years	INR 2 crore – INR 5+ crore

Investment Banker Salary in Abroad Countries

Some of the job roles available in foreign countries for Investment Banker students are given below:

Job Role	Country	Experience Required	Average Salary (Per Annum in USD)
Analyst	United States	0–2 years	USD 100,000 – USD 140,000
Analyst	United Kingdom	0–2 years	USD 80,000 – USD 110,000
Analyst	Singapore	0–2 years	USD 70,000 – USD 90,000
Associate	United States	3–5 years	USD 150,000 – USD 250,000
Associate	Canada	3–5 years	USD 110,000 – USD 160,000
Associate	Australia	3–5 years	USD 120,000 – USD 170,000
Vice President	United States	6–9 years	USD 250,000 – USD 400,000
Vice President	United Kingdom	6–9 years	USD 200,000 – USD 300,000
Vice President	UAE (Dubai)	6–9 years	USD 180,000 – USD 280,000
Director	United States	10–13 years	USD 400,000 – USD 600,000
Managing Director	United States	15+ years	USD 1,000,000 – USD 2,000,000+
Managing Director	Switzerland	15+ years	USD 900,000 – USD 1,500,000

Skills Acquired after Investment Banker

Some of the skills acquired after doing Investment Banker or working as a Chemical engineer are given below:

Expertise in creating sophisticated financial models, forecasting, and estimating companies using techniques like DCF, LBO, and similar analysis.
Ability to structure high-value deals such as mergers, acquisitions, initial public offerings, and leveraged buyouts with strategic and analytical perspective.
Training in taking rapid data-based decisions with extremely short timelines and immense pressure, which is a feature of high-stakes finance job roles.
Successful interpersonal and negotiating skills obtained through working with corporate customers, institutional investors, and executive clients.
Expertise in interpreting macroeconomic trends, sector performance, and competitive positioning to guide investment decisions.
Skill to handle project teams, mentor junior analysts, and cross-functional work in a high-stress environment.

To read more about MBA in Finance, click here.

Investment Banker Salary FAQs

Are investment bankers paid more in bonuses than base pay?

Yes, particularly at mid and senior levels, bonuses usually far surpass base pay. While analysts and associates can take home 100% of their base pay as bonus, Managing Directors can take home many multiples of base through performance-based incentives, success fees in deals, and profit-sharing. The bonuses are linked to individual, team, and firm performance.

Why would there be so big a salary difference between Indian investment bankers and those based in the U.S. or Britain?

The pay disparity is due to cost of living, size of market, volume of deals, and type of client. In India, though premium firms pay high packages, average deal sizes are lower and fees are less. U.S. and U.K. bankers, on the other hand, execute multi-billion-dollar deals, which explains their seven-figure dollar salaries. Adjusted for purchasing power, senior Indian bankers still enjoy highly competitive lifestyles.

Does the pay of an investment banker rise linearly each year?

Not really. Investment banking pays rise in increments, usually when a professional jumps up a rung—from Analyst to Associate, or Associate to VP. Between promotions, salary increases can be modest unless bonuses are rich. Promotions are competitive and merit-based, so salary increases can be unequal but big when they happen.

Are investment banking wages still worth it in light of the work-life balance?

Investment bank salaries are among the best in any sector but may come at the expense of working long hours (80–100 hours/week), high stress levels, and tight deadlines. For others, career reputation and money trump burnout potential. Most bankers transition to private equity, venture capital, or fintech after 5–7 years for improved life balance with slightly lower but still considerable pay.

How would you rate your experience with this page up to now?

😣

😕

😊

😎

😍