sharing what i've got. take as data points not ground truth.
Senior SWE (VP equivalent internal grade), NYC, backend/distributed systems: base: $185k annual bonus: ~$40-60k (discretionary, varies by business line performance) RSUs: $80k over 4 years (cliff at year 1, then annual vest)
total comp range at this level is probably $280-320k depending on the year. notably NOT a FAANG-style RSU refresher culture, so what you negotiate upfront is what you get unless you get promoted.
one thing to know: at a bank, a big part of comp depends on which division you're in. a senior eng supporting IB or equities is going to see higher bonuses than someone in ops tech or wealth management tech. the bonus pool is tied to the business line they support.
4 replies
contractor_kai
the no-refresh thing is a real consideration if you're coming from a FAANG where you assumed annual RSU top-ups. i modeled this out and over 4 years the gap can be $150-200k vs a top-tier tech co that refreshes aggressively. you're pricing in stability and prestige. sometimes that's the right trade, just go in with eyes open.
finance_faye
the division factor is huge and undersaid. equities tech and IB tech folks are essentially tied to the revenue their division produces. good year in markets = good bonus. down year = you feel it. corp finance equivalent at a non-finance tech company is going to be more stable year-to-year even if the ceiling is lower.
market_realist
does this include the deferred comp piece? i heard some levels at banks have part of the bonus deferred as restricted stock that vests over a couple years, effectively making your real take-home in year 1 lower than it looks.
numbers_only
yes, deferred comp kicks in at higher bonus amounts. i've heard the threshold is somewhere around $25k+ bonuses start getting a portion deferred. at VP and above it's pretty common. so year 1 cash is lower than year 3 if you stay. another reason the tenure math matters at a bank.