Right, let's put this debate to bed:MC - 5 figure salary for the majority. 6 figure salary is you are very lucky. And if you are in the top 5% you can become partner and make millions.IB - work for 5-10 years and retire. 7 figure bonuses. IB is intense for a few years but it then enables you to retire and live a life of leisure sneering at career consultants.STOP PRETENDING THAT CONSULTING IS ON A PAR WITH BANKING. CONSULTING IS ON A PAR WITH BEING AN ESTATE AGENT OR HEADHUNTER.

Do you really think money is the only measure?And if you are the sort of person that would enjoy a life of leisure then do you have the motivation required to be an IB?

Simon:"Do you really think money is the only measure?" - no, intellectual stimulation and the ability to spend most of my time with my wife and kids are my motivation. IB gives me this - I retire in two months; I will never have to work again, our financial future is secure for at least two generations and I will pursue a part time Phd it 3-5 years."And if you are the sort of person that would enjoy a life of leisure then do you have the motivation required to be an IB?" - yes, planning for a life of leisure is precisely what has driven me to this point and made me a success in IB.

Clive, your number inputs are valid for the US only or also for Europe?

So why are you here? This is a board for consultants.

..what kind of person calls themselves "the clivester"? Get on an IB messgae board poinedexter

The trouble with investment bankers is that when they've made their millions they tend to be loathsome. Most entrepreneurs that have made their millions are modest about their achievements, quick to praise the great people around them that made it all possible - and eager to give something back to society. They are like a magnet - people want to be around them and enjoy their company / mentality. They lead a life that others aspire to.IBers by contrast have generally made their stash from the old boys' network and through their fortune in controlling the destiny of vaste sums of investment capital. I have yet to meet an IBer that has made it as a great entrepreneur outside of banking, the skills learnt simply don't translate to any "normal" business. By contrast, consultants learn all the skills they need to become a successful entrepreneur - but only a small minority ever take the plunge and fulfil this potential...

I agree from my personal experience. I once worked for an IB who had made the move to the real world. He said his strength was people management. Out of the hundreds of people I have worked with in my career this guy had the worst people skills and no management skills whatsover. I am sure he was a good IBer....must have been good to get paid all that money right?

The only thing that ever stopped me going into IB was the people. This is prejudice of course because I don't know every IB-er, and some say IBs do have different cultures. But, so many of them are absolute plums (even the secretaries bully each other into depression and nervous breakdowns, allegedly). Even my mates from uni who were fine, are now plums, just, well, they do buy all the drinks now and get us into some plush hang outs :)But then hey, maybe if consultants were paid more they would be big plonkers too?Don't know about the entrepreneur thing. There are lots of boutique M&A, CF firms, hedge funds etc. Does that count as entrepreneuralism (sp?)?

Agree with the MC salary details i.e. 5-figure salary for majority, 6-figures for senior consultants.Disagree on the IB figures. 7-figure bonuses are for a very small number of VPs-upwards and traders, in a small number of good years. The majority of IBankers don't go beyond 5-figures and have limited bonuses.

I'm an MC who specialises in IB front office work- and many don't earn as much as we think they do, lots are not arrogant tw-ts but lovely, clever, hardworking people, they do tend to be a bit insular as the working culture is long hours, lots of drinking and pretty aggressive 'feedback' (you make a mistake and someone yells at you)- which all adds to their undeserved reputation for being vicious, self absorbed yahs.MC and IB suit different people. As do estate agency, engineering, finance, IT, research etc..... why does it have to be a conflict?!