If I were you I’d go for IB. More prestigious and better exit ops.
As someone else noted, the days of ER analysts making 7-8 figures is over; only a few super stars (II ranked 1-3) in desired sectors get that kind of pay typically. Mid-level associates can get 200-300k at BBs, but even that is still mixed. Big bonuses are also largely a thing of the past. Most firms are now opting to pay higher salaries.
Pay/bonus is based more on how many names you cover, how many NDRs/conferences you generate, trading volume, amount and quality of research, and how clients/salesforce views you. To get that you need years of experience and rep. within the firm. Management also has a say of course and it’s not supposed to be tied your bonus, but the volume/value of banking deals your firm does for your sector has an impact on your bonus.
Lastly, the outlook for ER is fairly bleak to be honest. The same, if not more (because of declining headcount) amount of work for less pay is on the horizon.
Maybe it’s just my personal experience, but ER people are absolutely not my type of personality. I feel like a paradise bird whom they hate straight away for not being pigeon-ish enough. Maybe it is my lack of luck but I can not understand why you have such a personality mismatch with the same skill set. I would love doing ER but ER people just do not like me.
I strongly suggest you read the articles in my signature. They will answer many of the questions you have asked about careers in equity research, investment banking and hedge funds!
What’s the point of $100M at retirement?? If you put all of that in a 10 yr treasury and assuming a reasonable 4% rate would mean you make $4M every year without even touching principal. So, 99% of all that money you worked so hard for will go to your estate when you die vs. you actually enjoying it, which I assume is your end goal. And Uncle Sam gets half of that.
You need to ask yourself, why do you want to make this kind of money?? What truly makes you happy. It seems like your just trying to make this money to ‘beat’ your friends. Focus on your life and not what others think of you and things will fall into place for you.
This guy is obviously trolling, unless of course he’s one of these kids from the millennial generation who thinks he knows everything and doesn’t want to listen to people giving him advice…