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Job outlook for business process consultants in the United States
Business process consultant job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected business process consultant job growth rate is 11% from 2018-2028.
About 108,400 new jobs for business process consultants are projected over the next decade.
Business process consultant salaries have increased 8% for business process consultants in the last 5 years.
There are over 18,727 business process consultants currently employed in the United States.
There are 142,082 active business process consultant job openings in the US.
The average business process consultant salary is $105,943.
Are business process consultant jobs in demand?
Business process consultant job and salary trends over time
Business process consultant jobs over time
Business process consultant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 18,727 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 17,720 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 17,215 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 16,587 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 15,968 | 0.00% |
Average business process consultant salary over time
Business process consultant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $105,943 | $50.93 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $103,043 | $49.54 | +2.0% |
| 2023 | $101,049 | $48.58 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $99,647 | $47.91 | +1.4% |
| 2021 | $98,293 | $47.26 | +0.0% |
Business process consultant jobs by state
Most common states for business process consultants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 710 | 102% |
| 2 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 313 | 36% |
| 3 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 322 | 31% |
| 4 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 583 | 30% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,996 | 29% |
| 6 | Delaware | 961,939 | 281 | 29% |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 301 | 28% |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 364 | 27% |
| 9 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 755 | 26% |
| 10 | Alaska | 739,795 | 190 | 26% |
| 11 | Vermont | 623,657 | 153 | 25% |
| 12 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 762 | 24% |
| 13 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,382 | 23% |
| 14 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 1,109 | 23% |
| 15 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,248 | 22% |
| 16 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,218 | 22% |
| 17 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,774 | 21% |
| 18 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 889 | 21% |
| 19 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 629 | 21% |
| 20 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,784 | 20% |
Most common cities for business process consultants
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bridgewater | 2 | 4% | $114,722 |
| 2 | Irving | 4 | 2% | $112,651 |
| 3 | Charlotte | 5 | 1% | $93,404 |
| 4 | Washington | 5 | 1% | $115,938 |
| 5 | Oakland | 4 | 1% | $124,333 |
| 6 | Plano | 4 | 1% | $112,640 |
| 7 | Tampa | 4 | 1% | $84,766 |
| 8 | Sacramento | 3 | 1% | $123,686 |
| 9 | Arlington | 2 | 1% | $106,847 |
| 10 | Phoenix | 8 | 0% | $95,610 |
| 11 | San Antonio | 6 | 0% | $110,243 |
| 12 | Los Angeles | 3 | 0% | $110,313 |
| 13 | Colorado Springs | 2 | 0% | $107,834 |
| 14 | Detroit | 2 | 0% | $85,400 |
Business Process Consultant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of business process consultant experts
University of North Dakota
Kent State University
Widener University
SUNY College at Geneseo
Siena College
University of Maine
Western Kentucky University
West Virginia University
Spelman College
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Cleveland State University
What Business Process Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Swagata Banerjee PhD: Digital literacy: As technology continues to evolve, proficiency in digital tools and platforms will become increasingly essential. Adaptability: The ability to quickly learn new skills and adapt to changing circumstances will be crucial in a rapidly evolving industry landscape. Data literacy: Understanding and analyzing data will become more important for making informed decisions and optimizing strategies. Interdisciplinary skills: The ability to work across different disciplines and collaborate effectively with diverse teams will be highly valued. Emotional intelligence: Soft skills such as empathy, communication, and teamwork will continue to be in demand as workplaces become more interconnected and dynamic.
Prof. Mohammad Elahee Ph.D.
Perlroth Professor of Int’l. BusinessWhat Business Process Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Prof. Mohammad Elahee Ph.D.: A combination of both hard and soft skills will be needed to survive in this ‘dog eat dog world’. Hard skills that will be in high demand are familiarity with new AI- and machine-driven technologies and quantitative reasoning. Soft skills that employers will be looking for include emotional intelligence, communication and interpersonal skills and a “can do attitude”. Paradoxical though it may sound, AI would actually create more demand for people with emotional and social intelligence.
What will help Business Process Consultants increase their earning potential?
Jennifer Barr PhD: Embrace a lifelong learning mindset at the outset. Read case books about successful organizations, notable leaders and new business practices.
Establish an unwavering reputation as a disciplined and responsible worker.
Strive to be an excellent listener. Your attention to detail will be noticed as evidenced through your work.
Be creative and take risks. Suggest an idea to your supervisor about how to improve a procedure or system. This will position you as an early career problem solver.
Seize every opportunity to grow and build key skills including communication, interpersonal, critical thinking and technology.
Recognize the strong correlation between emotional intelligence and success. This is particularly important as you advance in your career.
Cultivate mentorship opportunities and network as much as possible. Eventually step into a mentorship role.
Honesty, integrity and character matter. Be true to yourself and never deviate from your moral compass. Listen to your instincts always.
Create a strong LinkedIn profile and update regularly. It is one of the top recruiting sites.
What will help Business Process Consultants increase their earning potential?
David Hart: This field has become more valuable ever since the supply chain interruption due to Covid. The analyst is challenged every day with supply chain issues and deployment of the right resources to their prospective areas. Every day can be a new challenge so the work is rarely mundane.
What Business Process Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Adam Roth: I recommend that students start by identifying a specific skill in demand within your field, such as data analysis or social media marketing, and focus on developing expertise in that area. Research salary ranges and living costs in particular areas where you’re interested in working to ensure your compensation aligns with the local market. Always negotiate a salary and consider other aspects of the offer, such as funds for continuing education, technology and more. Continuing to network and establish demand for your services is essential; attend industry events, join professional associations, and engage with professionals in your field. Never miss an opportunity to reach out to and check in with your professional contacts. Pursue additional learning opportunities and education, such as certifications or advanced degrees, to provide a competitive advantage and increase your earning potential over time.
What will help Business Process Consultants increase their earning potential?
Adam Roth: In the next 3–5 years, the increasing presence of robots and artificial intelligence (AI) will drastically change the job market, leading to the replacement or displacement of many tasks that are currently performed by humans. This change highlights the growing need for individuals with degrees in the liberal arts. A liberal arts education emphasizes communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, analytical reasoning, creativity, emotional intelligence, and cultural awareness—human literacies, skills, and competencies that are difficult for a machine to replicate. As automation takes over many routine tasks, jobs requiring complex decision-making, creativity, and communication and interpersonal skills will become more important. Liberal arts graduates also excel in ethical decision-making and understanding societal issues, which are crucial in the responsible use and incorporation of AI.
What general advice would you give to a Business Process Consultant?
Bradley Andrew Ph.D.: So-called soft skills are still in demand by employers, based on recent surveys, because a smaller percentage of graduates possess them. These include:
Showing up and on time;
Having a strong work ethic;
Critical thinking skills
Social skills, including the ability to get along well with people, motivate and encourage them, and leadership skills. Also be able to schmooze with clients over dinner or drinks, or just in your office. A personal touch and connection is something software can’t provide.
Creativity—Apple products, for example, appeal to many people because of their combination of form and function.
The ability to work AI in order to increase one’s productivity will become more important over the next 5 years.
What will help Business Process Consultants increase their earning potential?
Bradley Andrew Ph.D.: Once you have your first job, ask about or determine the 20% of your supervisor’s job that they hate and start doing that for them. They will love you for it and it will quickly get you recognition. You’ll also be well on your way to learning your boss’s job. Continue doing this as you progress in your career (Kudos to Theo Epstein, former GM for the Red Sox, for this recommendation)
No matter the task you’re given, do it to the absolute best of your abilities. In the professional world, you may often be given menial tasks or tasks that you don’t believe are part of your job description. Doing those tasks to the absolute best of your ability leads to increased trust, recognition and responsibility and will put you “above class.” If asked, the coffee you bring should be the best your boss has ever had. You never know who’s watching.
Don’t expect credit and don’t ask for credit when things go right; give the credit to others.
Yvette Koepke
Associate Dean for Academic SuccessUniversity of North Dakota
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, And Group Studies
What Business Process Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Yvette Koepke: Salary: Preparation is key. Prepare by taking advantage of opportunities and experiences through projects, jobs, internships, organizations, or volunteering. Prepare by doing homework about the field and the position, and research showing the value of diversity. And prepare by practicing how best to make the case for what you can contribute.
What Business Process Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Vaneet Kaur: There are two sets of skills I will highly encourage graduates to proactively start building. Firstly, business graduates need to develop higher-order skills and capabilities like knowledge-based dynamic capabilities. These will help them to (a) constantly collect knowledge about emerging opportunities (and threats) in the industry, (b) mobilize themselves and their resources to bring identified opportunities into fruition, and (c) constantly renew their skills to effectively respond to the changes in the environment. Developing such knowledge-based dynamic capabilities will automatically prepare them for the different waves of skill set requirements that will keep arising in the job market. Secondly, it is no secret that we are living in the times of artificial intelligence and automation. So, in this day and age, it is extremely important that graduates learn to ride the wave of automation rather than being discouraged by it. Business graduates are set to contribute to the world with their business acumen and expertise, what they can do to complement it is to develop low-code, no-code skills. Such skills will help graduates to automate routine processes so that their time and energies can be strategically channelized towards those activities and processes that can add significant value to their organizations.
Tongyang Yang Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Economics and Business AnalyticsWidener University
Business/Commerce
What general advice would you give to a Business Process Consultant?
Tongyang Yang Ph.D.: There are many reasons that people like about being a business analyst, including reasons listed as follows: 1. Analytical Skills and Data Exploration: BAs often analyze data to understand trends and identify areas for improvement. Seeing a successful implementation and its positive impact can be very rewarding. 2. Problem-solving. BAs get to identify inefficiencies and propose solutions that can improve how a business operates. 3. Continuous learning. Business analysts may work on a range of projects and the field of business analysis may be constantly evolving, which required BAs to actively cultivate skills in new businesses. For example, the coming of the AI era requires BAs to master AI fundamentals and data fluency. 4. While some thrive on the problem-solving and communication aspects of a BA role, others may find them less appealing. Carefully consider your personality and preferences to see if this aligns with your career goals.
Jasmine Tang
SUNY College at Geneseo
Bilingual, Multilingual, And Multicultural Education
What Business Process Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jasmine Tang: Be confident of their major/minor or the subject they like and do best of the field they like for themselves not for money or please their parents or fulfill the dream of others.
What will help Business Process Consultants increase their earning potential?
Jasmine Tang: I always advise the students to apply any job that accept their degree or go for the one they really like.
What general advice would you give to a Business Process Consultant?
Sunita Goel PhD: Great. Will send you the responses soon. Please let me know the latest deadline by which you need them.
What Business Process Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Ryan LaRochelle Ph.D.: Don't be afraid to negotiate. The labor market is incredibly tight at the moment, so employees have more leverage than they've had in decades. Your starting salary and benefits package will be the baseline for any negotiation moving forward, so use the leverage you have now to get the best package you can get. Also, think carefully about how different compensation and benefit packages interact with other factors in the state or region where you're looking to work.
What general advice would you give to a Business Process Consultant?
Ron Ramsing Ph.D.: Relationships matter – continue to build your network by being a contributing member of a team while treating others well. Seek opportunities to actively learn and expand your knowledge and understanding of the industry. Mentors are important for providing guidance, feedback, and support. While it may take time, explore ways to connect with a mentor may it be formally or informally. Continue to hone your interpersonal skills through active listening, being conscientious, flexible, and willing to support and assist others. Be authentic!
What Business Process Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Robert Bentz: The obvious one is artificial intelligence. Many people are concerned that they may be replaced by AI, but nothing can be further from the truth. Those who learn to work with AI are going to be the ones that excel. There's a skill to knowing what you can and can't get from this remarkable new technology.
What will help Business Process Consultants increase their earning potential?
Rebecca Choudhury Ph.D.: That would be awesome! We were hoping you could answer the following questions: 1. What general advice would you give to a graduate beginning their career in the field?
Dr. Rajesh Bagchi
Department Head and ProfessorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Business/Commerce
What will help Business Process Consultants increase their earning potential?
Dr. Rajesh Bagchi: The only constant in the workplace is change. The current pace at which everything is changing is unprecedented. My recommendation is to embrace this and change with the times. Being curious and willing to learn and adapt will be key. Also, with opportunities, there will be challenges. If you can work through the difficult times, you will be much more successful when things are going well. I cannot emphasize enough about the importance of mental health and well-being. This is not a sprint but a marathon, so it is important that you prioritize your health and well-being.
What Business Process Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Rachel Rice: We've found we get better responses over email than the phone because it gives you some time to think about it.
Roger Klee
Associate College Lecturer: FinanceCleveland State University
Finance And Financial Management Services
What will help Business Process Consultants increase their earning potential?
Roger Klee: Here is a file that contains my answers to those questions. Let me know if you have any questions.