Why everyone in JP Morgan and Wells Fargo seems to be a VP and AVP

Context: I was a VP in Wells. My mom’s friend found out and was so confused how I can be a VP when his son who also works there is the VP. 🤣

In banks, titles like Assistant Vice President or Vice President don’t mean you’re an executive — they’re basically career levels or pay grades.

Typical ladder looks like this: Analyst → Associate → AVP → VP → SVP → Executive Director → Managing Director

So yeah, even project managers or team leads can be “VPs.” It just sounds fancier than “mid-level manager.”

Banks use those titles to keep pay bands organized, sound credible to clients, and boost morale without massive raises.

Being a VP at a bank usually just means you’ve been around for a while, not that you’re running the place 😅