Investment Banking: Investment bankers help companies raise money by underwriting and selling securities like stocks and bonds. They also provide advice on mergers and acquisitions. Investment banking is known for paying very high salaries, especially to entry-level analysts.
Hedge Funds: A hedge fund is an investment fund that pools money from high net worth individuals and institutional investors to make a variety of investments. Hedge fund managers can earn very high salaries and performance-based bonuses if they are successful at generating returns for their investors.
Private Equity: Private equity firms invest in and acquire companies with the goal of improving their performance and ultimately selling them for a profit. Private equity professionals can earn very high salaries, especially if they work at top firms and are involved in successful deals.
Quantitative Finance: Quantitative finance is a field that involves using mathematical models and computer algorithms to analyze financial data and make investment decisions. Quantitative analysts, or “quants,” can earn very high salaries if they have strong mathematical and programming skills.
Generally, the highest-paying roles are found in the Front Office.