Also called: Boutique Banker
Works at a smaller boutique bank selling family-owned and mid-size companies, often for $20M-$500M.
You meet the founder of a regional food company who's ready to retire, write a confidential sales memo and reach out to 80 possible buyers.
BLS groups investment bankers with securities sales agents (median ~$78k), which hides Wall Street pay; figures here are typical total pay (salary plus bonus) at major banks. Boutique pay is usually lower than giant banks at junior levels but can be strong for senior bankers.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in finance; boutiques also hire from accounting and consulting.
Ways in: 4-year college. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Finance, Accounting, Economics.
Growing faster than average. Many baby-boomer owners are selling businesses.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Family business owners selling their life's work want a trusted banker; AI shrinks junior prep work at boutiques.
Classes: Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Speech, AP Statistics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 41-3031.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.