<p>Risk management isn’t back office noobs. It’s middle office and certain areas of risk management are very very well paid (ie market risk).</p>
<p>Trading and derivatives pricing (structuring) both pay slightly better on average than IBD, and at top levels pay waaaay better than IBD. They also work far fewer hours (no weekends, work market hours +4 or so). IBD sounds horrible to be honest. But I may be a bit biased. ;)</p>