Advises executives on major business decisions such as entering new markets, pricing, mergers and cost restructuring. Management Consulted, The Consulting Salaries Report 2026, as reported by Poets&Quants puts typical pay at $267,000 a year (2025). BLS does not publish separate figures for management analysts; it counts them within management analyst (SOC 13-1111), whose median pay is $101,860 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 13-1111
- Business and Financial Operations
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Strategy Consultant in four numbers
- Median pay
- $101,860a year, or $48.97/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $61KTop 10% $172K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +10.1%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+10.1%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +10.1% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 94,1001,077,100 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20251.1M
- Projected 20351.2M
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 1.1M Projected 2035 1.2M - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Some college9.5%
- Bachelor's57.1%
- Post-bacc certificate9.5%
- Master's23.8%
Highest education held by management analysts Segment Value Some college 9.5% Bachelor's 57.1% Post-bacc certificate 9.5% Master's 23.8%
Also advertised as: Management Strategy Consultant, Strategy Associate, Engagement Manager, Strategy and Operations Consultant, Corporate Strategy Consultant.
Pay
How much do Management Analysts make?
Industry-reported pay
$267,000
First-year total compensation (base, signing bonus and performance bonus) for post-MBA consultants at McKinsey (typical) and Bain (high); excludes consultants at other firms, who are typically paid less.
- Top earners
- $285,000
Source: Management Consulted, The Consulting Salaries Report 2026, as reported by Poets&Quants, 2025 (estimate from several industry sources). This is not a BLS figure: BLS counts management analysts within management analyst, whose pay is shown below. Poets&Quants: Consulting pay, what MBAs earned in 2025 · Management Consulted: Consulting Salary Report
Every strategy consultant in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$101,860
Middle half earn $77,950 to $133,370
- 10th
- $60,640
- 25th
- $77,950
- 75th
- $133,370
- 90th
- $171,640
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $60,640 |
| 25th | $77,950 |
| Median | $101,860 |
| 75th | $133,370 |
| 90th | $171,640 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $101,860
- Median hourly wage
- $48.97/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $113,790
- People employed
- 898,280
Versus all US occupations
At $101,860, Management Analysts earn 100% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $50,880 a year.
Versus business and financial operations occupations
Inside the Business and Financial Operations group, where the middle occupation pays $80,730, this is 26% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $171,640 or more while the bottom 10% earn $60,640, a gap of 2.8×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 73% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Massachusetts pays the most at $134,720, and still leads at $127,386 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Management Analysts the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Massachusetts | $134,720 | $127,386 | 30,060 |
| 2District of Columbia | $126,140 | $114,776 | 19,000 |
| 3Maryland | $121,680 | $115,931 | 19,170 |
| 4Virginia | $117,580 | $116,296 | 59,620 |
| 5New York | $112,250 | $104,011 | 69,150 |
| 6Washington | $109,170 | $102,016 | 24,760 |
| 7Alabama | $108,040 | $121,635 | 4,900 |
| 8Vermont | $107,520 | $109,761 | 730 |
| 9New Jersey | $105,820 | $97,257 | 22,080 |
| 10Connecticut | $104,960 | $101,303 | 8,000 |
Job outlook
Is Strategy Consultant a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +10.1% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Management Analysts | +10.1% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Management Analysts to change 10.1% over 2025–2035, roughly 2.9× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 109,200 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 94,100 openings are projected each year, 8.7% of the 1,077,100 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Strategy Consultant
Strategy firms recruit heavily from undergraduate and MBA programs. Candidates face case interviews, where they solve a business problem live with an interviewer, plus fit interviews on teamwork and leadership. A bachelor's degree in any field can work if grades and reasoning are strong, though business, economics, engineering and sciences are common.
Many consultants join as business analysts, leave for an MBA, and return as associates. Experienced hires come from industry, medicine, law or government into specialized practices. The Institute of Management Consultants USA awards the Certified Management Consultant credential, though most strategy firms do not require it.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as management analysts.
- Bachelor's Degree57.1%
- Master's Degree23.8%
- Some College Courses9.5%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate9.5%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 57.1% |
| Master's Degree | 23.8% |
| Some College Courses | 9.5% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 9.5% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Strategy Consultant do?
Strategy consultants help senior leaders answer high-stakes questions: Should we enter this market? Should we buy this competitor? Why are margins falling? They work on short, intense projects for corporations, private equity firms and governments.
Consultants break a problem into parts, gather data through interviews, surveys and financial analysis, build models, and turn findings into a clear recommendation. Junior consultants do much of the research and analysis and build slides. Engagement managers run day-to-day work and client relationships, and partners sell projects and advise CEOs. Private equity due diligence projects, which assess a company before a buyout, are a large part of the work at many firms.
Day-to-day tasks
- Frame client business problems into testable hypotheses
- Analyze market, customer and financial data
- Interview executives, customers and industry experts
- Build models to size markets and estimate impact
- Create presentations that explain recommendations
- Conduct commercial due diligence for private equity clients
- Present findings to senior client leadership
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Strategy consultants often travel to client sites several days a week, though remote and hybrid project work has grown. Hours are long and deadlines tight, with frequent late nights before client presentations. The pace is fast, teams change with each project, and the variety of industries is broad.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.1
- Active Listening4.1
- Critical Thinking4.1
- Writing4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Monitoring3.9
- Active Learning3.3
- Mathematics3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.1 |
| Active Listening | 4.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.1 |
| Writing | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.9 |
| Active Learning | 3.3 |
| Mathematics | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving4.0
- Judgment and Decision Making4.0
- Social Perceptiveness3.9
- Coordination3.9
- Systems Evaluation3.9
- Systems Analysis3.8
- Persuasion3.5
- Instructing3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.9 |
| Coordination | 3.9 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.9 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.8 |
| Persuasion | 3.5 |
| Instructing | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Application server software · in demand
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Cloud-based management software · in demand
- Configuration management software · in demand
- Content workflow software · in demand
- Customer relationship management CRM software · in demand
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base reporting software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Data mining software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Strategy Consultant?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code EIC) built on O*NET's Management Analyst profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Strategy Consultant |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 1 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 5 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Conventional6.0
- Investigative5.4
- Enterprising5.2
- Social2.8
- Artistic1.6
- Realistic1.4
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Strategy Consultant
O*NET related occupations
- Business and Financial Operations
- Business and Financial Operations
- Computer and Mathematical
- Computer and Mathematical
- Computer and Mathematical
- Computer and Mathematical
More business and financial operations careers
Median annual pay, with management analysts highlighted
- Financial Advisor$105,070
- Strategy Consultant$101,860
- Accountant$83,680
- Insurance Underwriter$81,370
- Coroner$80,730
- Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator$78,000
- Loan Officer$76,690
- Human Resources Specialist$75,940
- Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate$67,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Financial Advisor | $105,070 |
| Strategy Consultant | $101,860 |
| Accountant | $83,680 |
| Insurance Underwriter | $81,370 |
| Coroner | $80,730 |
| Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator | $78,000 |
| Loan Officer | $76,690 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $75,940 |
| Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate | $67,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Strategy Consultant appears on
Questions
Strategy Consultant: frequently asked questions
How much do Management Analysts make?
Management Consulted, The Consulting Salaries Report 2026, as reported by Poets&Quants reports $267,000 (first-year total compensation (base, signing bonus and performance bonus) for post-MBA consultants at McKinsey (typical) and Bain (high); excludes consultants at other firms, who are typically paid less, 2025), with top earners around $285,000. BLS does not publish a separate wage for management analysts. It counts them within management analyst, whose median pay is $101,860 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $77,950 and $133,370, and the top 10% earn $171,640 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Strategy Consultant?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Management Analysts, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 57.1% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Strategy Consultant a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 10.1% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 94,100 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Strategy Consultant do?
Strategy consultants help senior leaders answer high-stakes questions: Should we enter this market? A typical task: frame client business problems into testable hypotheses. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Application server software, Business intelligence and data analysis software.
Which states pay Management Analysts the most?
The highest state medians for Management Analysts are Massachusetts ($134,720), District of Columbia ($126,140), Maryland ($121,680) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Strategy Consultant?
O*NET scores Management Analysts highest on the Conventional, Investigative and Enterprising interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESTJ, ENTJ, ISTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.