What is the salary and career path for a management consultant?
Management consultant maps to Management Analysts (SOC 13-1111), the closest BLS code for the work; the OEWS May 2025 median is $101,860 a year ($48.97 an hour), running from $60,640 at the 10th percentile to $171,640 at the 90th for senior consultants, principals and partners. BLS projects the code to grow 8.8% over 2024–2034, faster than average, with roughly 98,100 openings a year. Entry is usually a bachelor's degree for analyst roles, with an MBA the classic accelerator into senior consulting, and the PMP supporting delivery-focused work.
- Management Consultants earn a national median $101,860/yr ($48.97/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1111); the top 10% clear $171,640.
- Management consultant maps to Management Analysts (SOC 13-1111), with a $101,860 OEWS May 2025 median and a $60,640-to-$171,640 range across the analyst-to-partner ladder.
- BLS projects the code to grow 8.8% through 2034, faster than average, with roughly 98,100 openings a year.
- Entry is a bachelor's degree for analyst roles, with an MBA the classic accelerator into senior consulting and the PMP supporting delivery work.
Career Path
How do you become a management consultant?
Analyst / Associate consultant
Doing the research, modeling and slide work on engagements, entry consultants sit above the $60,640 10th percentile.
Management Consultant
Owning workstreams and client relationships on projects earns around the $101,860 median.
Engagement / Project manager
Leading whole engagements and teams pushes pay toward the $133,370 75th percentile.
Principal / Partner
Selling and directing consulting work reaches the $171,640 90th percentile and, at equity partner level, well beyond it.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays management consultants the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1111. National median: $101,860. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does management consultant pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles management consultants most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: management consultants rank 2 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +8.8% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly management consultants clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1111 (management consultants) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do management consultants need?
The baseline entry credential; quantitative and business fields are common. See all state licences →
The classic accelerator into senior consulting and a common hiring path at top firms.
PMI's credential, useful for consultants leading implementation and delivery engagements.
The international professional designation issued through IMC USA and the ICMCI network.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do management consultants use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 13-1111
Salary Levers
How do management consultants earn above the $101,860 BLS median?
Move up the consulting ladder
Advancing from analyst to engagement manager lifts pay from the $60,640 floor toward the $133,370 upper band.
Earn an MBA from a target school
A top MBA opens senior post-MBA roles and higher base and bonus compensation.
Reach principal or partner
Selling and directing engagements reaches the $171,640 top decile and, with equity, far beyond it.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a management consultant worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1111. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Management Consultant Career, Frequently Asked Questions
Management Consultant career research journey
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