Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between investment banking associates and investment advisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an investment banking associate and an investment advisor. Additionally, an investment banking associate has an average salary of $119,967, which is higher than the $105,377 average annual salary of an investment advisor.
The top three skills for an investment banking associate include capital markets, healthcare and discounted cash flow. The most important skills for an investment advisor are exceptional client, risk management, and client relationships.
| Investment Banking Associate | Investment Advisor | |
| Yearly salary | $119,967 | $105,377 |
| Hourly rate | $57.68 | $50.66 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 39,516 | 63,438 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 40 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An investment banking associate is in charge of performing support tasks for clients, ensuring efficiency and client satisfaction. They are primarily responsible for identifying and meeting clients' needs, assisting them in reaching their financial goals. They typically determine investment opportunities for clients, putting financial histories and records into consideration. They must thoroughly discuss terms, helping clients gain a deep understanding of the subject while building positive relationships. Furthermore, an investment banking associate may perform clerical tasks such as processing documentation and payments, producing progress reports, and performing calls and correspondence.
An investment advisor is responsible for managing the clients' financial portfolios, advising them of investment options according to their financial goals and objectives, and their ability to handle risks. Investment advisors should have excellent knowledge of the investment policies, providing the clients with the best financial strategies according to their interests. They also determine their expenses, income, and credit scores to identify a comprehensive financial plan. An investment advisor helps the clients with cash management techniques, as well as conducting data analysis on financial market projections.
Investment banking associates and investment advisors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Investment Banking Associate | Investment Advisor | |
| Average salary | $119,967 | $105,377 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $195,000 | Between $60,000 And $184,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | New York |
| Best paying company | Bloomberg | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between an investment banking associate and an investment advisor in terms of educational background:
| Investment Banking Associate | Investment Advisor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Finance | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities |
Here are the differences between investment banking associates' and investment advisors' demographics:
| Investment Banking Associate | Investment Advisor | |
| Average age | 40 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.6% Female, 21.4% | Male, 72.3% Female, 27.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 14.1% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.2% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 5% |