Compensation Guide
USA Private Equity Compensation Guide 2026
Private equity compensation varies by city, fund focus, and seniority. This guide outlines how pay is structured across the US market today.
Built from real US placement data, it benchmarks base salary and total compensation across private equity roles, segmented by geography and fund market.
Whether you are hiring or assessing your own market value, the guide provides a clear reference point for private equity compensation across the USA.
Covered in the guide:
- Compensation benchmarks by level: Base salary and total compensation data from associate through principal roles
- Geographic comparisons: Across Tier 1 cities such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Miami, as well as Tier 2 markets including Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Atlanta, and Charlotte
- Fund market segmentation: Compensation differences across lower, middle, and upper market private equity funds
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