How are hours across different bulge bracket firms?

Hey There!

The truth is that hours in IB are long across every bulge bracket, so you shouldn’t expect a meaningful difference in overall workload just by choosing one bank over another. Where the variation tends to show up is at the group and team level. A high-volume industry coverage team or one working on multiple live deals can mean much later nights and occasional weekends, while a less deal-heavy group may have stretches that feel more manageable. So while firm reputation plays a role in culture, the day-to-day intensity is usually shaped more by your immediate team and current deal flow.

That said, some firms do have reputations for being slightly better or worse in terms of lifestyle. For example, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are often seen as more demanding, while banks like Citi or JPMorgan are sometimes described as a touch more balanced, though still very busy. But these reputations shouldn’t be overstated—any bulge bracket analyst can face 80 to 90-hour weeks when things are busy. The key is going in with realistic expectations, focusing on finding the right team culture, and building habits to manage yourself during the toughest periods.

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Hi,

hours at the bulge brackets are demanding everywhere, but the biggest differences usually come from the team you join. I have seen situations where two analysts at the same bank had very different lifestyles depending on whether their group was busy with live deals or working on pitches.

Because of that, comparing firms by brand name does not always tell you much. What can be more useful is trying to get a sense of culture and working style during the process. For example, you might ask about how work is distributed in the team, whether juniors are encouraged to flag bandwidth issues, or how much weekend work is common when there are no live deals. These small details often shape the day-to-day experience more than the bank’s logo.

If you can, talk to a few people in different groups. The way they describe their projects and how the team collaborates usually gives a more realistic picture than online stereotypes about hours at one firm versus another.

Hello!

Hours at bulge bracket banks are generally long across the board, especially during live deals, with analysts often seeing 70–80+ hour weeks, but there are some differences in culture and workload between firms and even between groups within the same bank. Some banks or offices are known for slightly more structured hours or better support systems, while certain coverage or product groups like ECM, DCM, or mid-market M&A- tend to be less grueling than mega-deal M&A or leveraged finance. 

Ultimately, your experience will depend more on the specific team, office culture, and deal flow than the brand itself, so speaking with current employees in your target group is the best way to gauge realistic expectations.