What is the starting salary for someone with a JD+MBA at one of MBB? Forum

[Anonymous User]

What is the starting salary for someone with a JD+MBA at MBB? According to this post, it is around $195,000~200,000, but websites like Glassdoor state that associate consultants only make around $75,000, senior consultants only make $95,000, and managers only make $175,000. I guess it would surprise me if a top consulting firm valued someone with an essentially worthless degree (JD) and a networking degree (MBA) over a consultant with years of experience. Am I missing something, or will MBB really pay JD+MBAs that much money? Also, does the starting salary change if you only have a JD and not an MBA?

[jbagelboy]

you make $135K base, but your all in comp first year is closer to $200K due to a large starting bonus and end of year bonus.

$175K is essentially what a successful manager makes all in first year, not including their starting bonus.

[2014]

Did it occur to you that MBB and the like might not hage the same feelings about JDs and MBAs that you do?

[Anonymous User]

For McKinsey, signing bonus is around $25k, bonus can be up to $35k, and they puts 12% of your bonus+salary into your retirement account up to $20k. Boston and Bain have lower retirement contributions but higher bonus and starting salary. So while base comp is $135-140, bonuses and benefits will put you above $200k (note these are MBA numbers). As for your statement as to a worthless degree and a networking degree being valued over experience, most MBA students have the experience before they go to B school. They get paid more than an experienced consultant because most of them are experienced consultants in addition to going to B school.

[Anonymous User]

Did it occur to you that MBB and the like might not hage the same feelings about JDs and MBAs that you do?

Obviously they don’t – and I’m grateful for it. It’s awesome that they’re willing to pay almost double for someone to waste 4 extra years after undergrad learning largely useless skills in law school and building a network in business school. Actually, as far as I can tell, they pay JD+MBAs the same as MBAs, so it doesn’t appear that they value JDs very much (this is part of my original question).

Additionally, does anyone know what MBB's pay/bonus scale is like for the first 5 years or so?

[PMan99]

Did it occur to you that MBB and the like might not hage the same feelings about JDs and MBAs that you do?

Obviously they don’t – and I’m grateful for it. It’s awesome that they’re willing to pay almost double for someone to waste 4 extra years after undergrad learning largely useless skills in law school and building a network in business school. Actually, as far as I can tell, they pay JD+MBAs the same as MBAs, so it doesn’t appear that they value JDs very much (this is part of my original question).

Additionally, does anyone know what MBB's pay/bonus scale is like for the first 5 years or so?

You aren't wrong that they don't value JDs as much as MBAs, but your logic is off - JD-only gets paid the same as MBA-only and JD/MBA. It's just your JD is only worth something if you go to Harvard and maybe a few other schools (don't know how strong finance/consulting/etc recruiting is at, say, Yale, even though Yale is #1).

[Anonymous User]

MBB consulting has to be one of the worst uses of a JD/MBA.