Was it more advantageous to have been a so-called "made man", or to have stayed as a top-ranked "associate member" within the confines of a given mafia Family?

Aside from what the media spews out, and the Hollywood versions of these type things go, what was the reality of the situation? .... The truth about "The Life"?

What were the actual benefits of being made? What were the deficits, if any?

What were the actual benefits of staying as an "associate" (albeit a top-ranked one)? What were the deficits?

I'm curious to see what the forum members have to say about all this. So have at it guys!