The paths to Wall Street success: Where 25 rising stars went to school and started their careers

The paths to Wall Street success: Where 25 rising stars went to school and started their careers iStock; Tyler Le/BI While there's no single route to the top of Wall Street, some paths are more well-trodden than others.Of the 25 rockstar professionals on Business Insider's Rising Stars of Wall Street, 11 attended Ivy League universities — more than double the five in last year's class. And nearly half began their careers at four financial powerhouses: Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America.Though that's not to say there are not some who took less conventional routes.We analyzed the alma maters of this year's class and their career trajectories to gauge how they broke into finance. Here's a snapshot of the next generation of Wall Street leaders.Meet the class:The 25 rising stars range in age from 27 to 35, with an average age of 32.Three are under 30, including the youngest, Theo Saarinen, 27, who is the chief research officer of AIA Labs, which sits within hedge fund Bridgewater Associates.Twelve work at investment banks, seven at hedge funds, six in private equity and other private markets, and one at a market maker.New York is still the dominant office location, as 20 of the 25 work in New York City. Two work in Houston, two in San Francisco, and one in the Wall Street of the South, Miami.Where they went to schoolThe class hails from 20 different universities for their undergraduate years. It's a mix of large research universities, top business schools, and elite liberal-arts colleges.Eleven attended Ivy League universities for their undergraduate degrees, up from five in 2025.The University of Pennsylvania was particularly well represented, with five graduates.Economics, finance, and business were popular choices, but others pursued degrees in engineering, mathematics, and the humanities. ExodusPoint portfolio manager Ben Atlas studied philosophy at the University of Cambridge, while Bank of America's Cody Kiechle majored in applied mathematics at Harvard.Two pursued graduate degrees. Goldman Sachs managing director Bridget Chaudhry earned an MBA from Harvard Business School, while Balyasny portfolio manager Sahil Singhal earned a master's degree in applied mathematics.List of schools How they got their startWall Street's biggest banks remain a popular launching pad. Twelve members of this year's stars began their careers at Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, or Bank of America. Goldman and JPMorgan each account for four, while Morgan Stanley and Bank of America each account for two.Seven made the popular leap from banking to investing. Apollo principal Daniel Borkenstein started at PJT Partners before moving into private equity, while TPG's David Bessel got his start at Morgan Stanley.At least nine have spent their entire careers at one firm. Blackstone's Jake Epstein joined the alternative asset manager straight out of college. Morgan Stanley's Maya Venkatraman and Goldman Sachs' Bridget Chaudhry have climbed the ranks at the firms where they started.The AI boom is shaping careersTen of this year's class honorees are working directly on the AI boom, whether through infrastructure, investing in AI companies directly, or developing AI-powered investment strategies.6 are working on financing or investing in AI infrastructure2 are investing in AI companies2 are using AI to help develop investment strategies A breakdown of titles8 managing directors5 principles2 portfolio managers1 executive director1 director1 vice presidentExtracurricularsThree rising stars told us about their college sports careers, including Mike Washington, who played basketball at Princeton before joining Goldman Sachs. Jim Tilson played defensive end at Middlebury College, while Alex Winrich played soccer at the University of Dayton.This data is drawn from reporting by Bradley Saacks, Alex Nicoll, Alice Tecotzky, Ben Bergman, Jennifer Sor, Ashley Stewart, and James Faris. Read next Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Michelle Abrego is a senior finance editor at Business Insider, based in New York. She works with reporters covering the world's largest hedge funds and how the wealthy spend and save their money. Before joining Business Insider, Michelle was the news editor at the investment publication Citywire. Michelle is a graduate of the University of Florida and City University London's masters program. You can reach her at mabrego@buinessinsider.com. Rising Stars Careers Wall Street More