An M&A VP makes far less than $2mm

I can't speak for the rest of the list. But to say that an average M&A banker with 10 years of experience makes two mil is highly misleading. Three years as analyst, four years as associate, by year ten a banker would still only be on the senior vp or at best junior MD level. $2mm of compensation is out of reach for the vast majority of bankers at that seniority.